Already8
by Pure BoNK
Summary: Nick and Ellis are separated from the group after a tragic death of one of the original survivors, bringing them much closer than Nick felt he'd ever wanted. NxE, FxE, and possibly more. Slash, Violence, and THE MIDNIGHT FLIPPIN' RIDERS!
1. Chapter 1

The car was out of gas again. Nick cursed as Ellis grew silent, eyes narrowing as his eyes and pressing on the gas pedal. "I... I think I shoulda drove, Nick." Ellis commented, once, but Nick just grit his teeth and demanded Ellis either shut up or move to the back seat. Ellis spoke not a word since then.

"Damn, Ellis, you're quieter than that time Nick's heart stopped."

Ellis tipped his hat and sent a glare Coach's way, and Coach laughed because the red that tinged the boy's cheeks was only for one reason.

It grew quiet, after that. "Aww, shit. Shit..."

"Ellis, shut _up_."

"But Nick! Do you fuckin' SEE it?" Ellis pointed out his window, and Nick had no time to react, because the horde was coming at them and the car was screaming for gas. "Park the car, man, park the car!" Nick's fingers curled around the wheel, turning the car to park in one of the garages with the door open. Great timing, too, because almost immediately after, the car stopped working. "Aww, shit, get outta the car!" The four quickly exited the vehicle. The horde was coming closer. "Baby... damn, I apologize. I 'ope nothin' gets ye..." Ellis pat the car.

"Uhh, Ellis? You're going to have to cut that short."

Ellis looked over, eyes wide as he heard the roar of an infected he knew all too well. "Charger..."

"TANK! TANK!" That voice was coming from the horde.

"THAT'S NOT A TANK!"

The Charger roared and bowled through the horde, and it was only then the four survivors found four other survivors. A girl was shooting her pistols straight at the creature while the four that had been in the car stumbled back. Zoey stopped, staring at the four. "ZOEY!"

"Oh! Right!"

Ellis was already there, though, shoving an axe into the thick skull of the Charger. He reached out a hand to the man. "Shit, haven't seen 'nother survivor in... well... since these guys. Name's Ellis."

The man took the boy's hand, brushing off his shoulder. "Name's Francis. The chick there is Zoey. The black guy's Louis, and the grandpa is Bill. You'll see 'em in a sec."

Rochelle mumbled something to Coach, who took a couple of steps forward, towards Zoey. "Name's Coach. Ellis just told you his name. Rochelle's behind me, and then the idiot that got us stuck here is Nick."

"Like it's my fault we ran out of fuckin' gas."

Francis shrugged. "It's better than what happened to us. Zoey shot the pilot."

"DAMN IT, FRANCIS." Zoey grit her teeth, "The man was INFECTED."

Ellis leaned against the wall. "Hey, Nick did that too!" He laughed. "It was stupid, 'cause we got stuck in a swamp then, tossin' with the gators. Heck, none of the gators were there, though. So no gator wrestlin'."

Francis growled. "I hate gators."

Ellis' eyes widened. "Naw! This one time, me'n my buddy Keith were wrestlin' gators, and he went under... 'n..." Ellis was rambling again, but Francis was listening. Zoey rolled her eyes, and Nick did, too. Nobody even noticed Bill and Louis join the circle. "So... wait. Yeah, you should hate gators, never mind."

"I like you, kid." Francis wrapped his arm around Ellis, offering a grin.

Nick looked onward. "Hate to break the love fest, but we've got a road to be walking down. We've gotta gas up that car again, there's no way we're walking through this."

"Pussies. I hate pussies."

Louis snickered. "Gay."

Francis growled. "Not what I meant. I hate double meanings."

Ellis frowned. "We ain't no pussies. We just gotta get ourselves to N'awlins, and fast."

Nick took Ellis by the hand. "Ellis, get over here and explain to me what kind of diesel we're using. It's obvious the kind we used had a chance of fucking up the car..." Nick had no idea what he was talking about, but he must have said something right, because Ellis jumped from Francis and hurried to the stock car.

Zoey, Rochelle, and Coach were scouting ahead while Louis and Bill tended to their wounds.

Nick's eye twitched as Ellis bent down, shamelessly lifting his lower body into the air as he stared at the car. "Hmm, well, lookin' at it, the gas we used did just the trick, it did. So we just need ta get to the nearest gas station... aww, damn, how're we gunna get it to the car?"

Nick shrugged. "We got eight people now." The man rolled his eyes as Ellis moved around, so flamboyant that Nick just couldn't take it. "Are you gay? Seriously, you have to be."

Ellis blinked. "A-Am I..." His cheeks tinged pink. "No! 'Course not!"

"You claimed you'd have a man's child, and you blushed when Coach talked about you missing me."

"Th-that's... Umm..." Ellis tipped his hat. "Maybe." Nick chuckled. "Shuddap, Nick. You still have that hickey on yer neck since when I first met you, an' the lipstick's stainin' your collar. Yer not, so what's it matter?"

Nick subconsciously reached for his neck, rubbing it. "I was just questioning. No need to get defensive." He growled.

"I'ont see why you hadta ask. Gunna tell everyone else that I'ma freak?"

Nick should have felt bad. Instead, he felt the anger well inside him. "It was a question, you inbred bastard! I wasn't going to tell anyone, I was merely making sure my assumption was correct. Damn, you're more sensitive than my ex-wife, and her sensitivity is the reason I divorced her."

It grew eerily quiet. Ellis' light eyes seemed to darken, then shine, and then, finally, he turned away, tipping his hat. "Best ye be leavin', Nick." Ellis' voice cracked. "I wanna say goodbye to the car 'fore we head off fer gas."

Nick said not a word, turning his heel and leaving. Francis was waiting outside. "Dude, what'd you do to the kid?"

"Why don't you ask him." Nick turned, raising his voice. "The little _fag_ won't talk to me."

"SHUT. **_UP_.** NICK."

Nick blinked, not quite accustomed to hearing the southern hick so... upset. He brushed it off, though, eyes narrowing even more. "When have you ever shut up for more than a second, Ellis?"

It grew quiet, for no more than a second. "G-Git outta here, Nick."

Nick growled. "Calm down, Nick." Francis' words were uneasy, as he didn't know the man. "I'll talk to him."

"You're the _last_ _person_ he should be talking to."

Francis ignored it, though he knew he was going to save the thought for later. He turned into the garage, slowly, footsteps light as if he was sneaking around a witch. The sobbing was quite like one, only much, much quieter. "I c'n shut up..." He whispered. "I can, I jus' don't wanna." Francis rest a hand on the boy's shoulder. Ellis jumped. "Don't touch me, Nick!" He didn't even turn around, just jerked away.

"Woah, woah. It's your good buddy Francis." It was awkward, all of a sudden. He hadn't heard real crying since... well, damn, a long time ago. Zoey hadn't shed a tear, because she was _badass_ enough not to. Louis had almost cried once, when a hunter had nearly killed him, but he hadn't... yet, this kid, Ellis, was crying... "Now tell me what just happened so I should know how bad to rip Nick up."

Ellis was shaking, and Francis noticed this. "W-Well, Nick'n I were jus' bein' normal and stuff, and then he suddenly grabs me'n..." Francis' eyes narrowed. "No, no. He didn't do that... but... he _asked_ me my orien... orientashun? Think that's the word..." Ellis laughed, a broken laugh. "An' I told 'im, all defensive like, 'cause he asked fer a reason, right?" The boy clutched at his heart. "An' it's all my fault he's mad at me..."

"Ellis."

"I shouldn'ta been defensive. He just asked... An' I did tell 'im, but now he prob'ly hates me 'cuz I like men..."

"Ellis..."

Ellis shook his head, almost as if he didn't hear the man, continuing his rant. "I can't help it, man! I was born like this! If he don't like it, he don't hafta, but he shouldn'ta asked, anyway. He did... maybe I shoulda lied? Naw, that's stoooopid." He drawled the word, and Francis could tell he was crying again.

"Ellis!" This time, Ellis stopped, eyes filmed over with tears. "Damn, I hate criers. Especially over someone like _Nick_. He's an idiot, and-" And lips were pressed to his. Francis leaned forward, at first, then pushed the boy away. "Woah, woah woah. Kid..."

"I... I didn't meanta, I swear it's just that-"

Francis rolled his eyes, pressing another kiss to the boy's lips. "This is the only thing that shuts you up, isn't it?" The boy blinked, nodded, and rubbed at his face. "Stop doing that." Ellis whimpered, uncharacteristically moving his hands and biting his lip, looking away and forcing the older man to move his chin. "Look at me." It got deathly quiet. "You. Don't know. What you're doing." Ellis blinked in understanding. "You're confused. So... I'm going to help you up, we'll go look for some fresh water or something, and then you'll be fine." Was he babysitting? He swore to god he hated kids. Ellis was like... like a five year old. With a gun.

Not that he had much of a problem as long as the gun wasn't pointed at him.

* * *

Erm. So... I can't explain this, but... hehe, yeah. .__. Sorry for all the language, but if YOU were in a Zombie Apocalypse, I bet you'd be cursing a lot, too. Nick DID just ask a random question concerning Ellis' sexual orientation, because we ALL wanted to know.  
And, yes, for the record, the first batch of survivors do NOT know what a Charger is, and, honestly, sometimes I mistake Chargers for Tanks, too.  
I make no promises for fast updates, or updates with this many words, because I really just got carried away and couldn't find a break-point between paragraphs.  
Review? You don't hafta, but Ellis quite likes reviews, and reviews make me attempt to get them more in character. So, review for the sanity of the characters~


	2. That Ain't Water

_"Look at me." It got deathly quiet. "You. Don't know. What you're doing." Ellis blinked in understanding. "You're confused. So... I'm going to help you up, we'll go look for some fresh water or something, and then you'll be fine." Was he babysitting? He swore to god he hated kids. Ellis was like... like a five year old. With a gun._

_Not that he had much of a problem as long as the gun wasn't pointed at him._

-

-

-

Ellis nodded his head, sniffling and trying to man up because he hated looking so weak. "Keith... my friend... once told me that I should smile all the time, 'cause my smiles are pretty." He laughed. "It's so stupid, 'cause that was the time he forced me inta a dress, but it's the only thing that keeps me smilin'."

Francis laughed. Laughed. "You're an idiot."

"Hell yeah I am~" Ellis laughed, too, this one sounding a bit better. "But I'm the cutest damn idiot you ever did see!"

Francis paused, then wrapped an arm around Ellis' waist. The boy squeaked. "Yeah, yeah, I suppose I don't hate all idiots."

-

Nick honestly hadn't listened in. He didn't care. He _did_ care, however, when Francis came out with Ellis latched to his waist like a parasite. "What the _fuck_?"

On instinct, Ellis jumped away, eyes wide, gun ready. "Shit zom-" He paused, then turned. "Oh. Jus' Nick." The smile fell.

"You were fucking crying." Nick growled in response.

Ellis' face fell. "Seriously, just stop with the jabs before _I_ kick your ass." Francis intervened, hand curling around Ellis' waist. "The kid's going through some traumatic experiences now. We're going for some fresh water. I suggest you hang out with Bill and Louis and get to know _them_, because you won't be seeing _us_ for the next couple of hours."

Louis and Bill looked up as their name was called, and Louis burst into laughter. "Ohh, shit! I knew he was gay!" Francis just scowled. "Ohh~ This'll be great! I can't wait for Zoey to get back-"

"Louis, shut up."

"Why?" The man turned to stare at Bill, who was looking around. "You hear something?"

"There's a hunter around. No. Two of them."

Ellis looked up at the sky. "Well, looks like me'n Francis aren't goin' alone, then." He moved his hands and fixed his cap. "Someone willin' to come with us?"

Bill laughed. "No thanks. I'm just going to take a nap in that car of yours. It's still unlocked..."

Louis held his hands up. "Nu uh. Francis and me don't get along."

Francis rolled his eyes. "We get along better than that asshat." He pointed to Nick.

"It'll be just like old times, eh, Francis?" Francis glared while Ellis looked over, questioningly. Nick held up his hand, the one with the ring that matched Francis' tattoo. "Just. Like. Old. Times. Or did you not hear me?"

Francis growled. "Nick, I told you, I left that place behind, you included."

Ellis fidgeted a little. "Wh-what'chu talkin' bout?"

"Nothing." Nick walked to Ellis' side, despite the fact that Francis pulled Ellis closer when he did. "Let's just get you your water."

"I... err... Nick..." Ellis trailed off, legs moving on their own. Francis followed suit, Nick taking Louis' health pack from his back and hurrying after. "Never mind..."

"That's what I thought, queer."

Ellis grew unmistakeably quiet. Nick clenched his fist, glancing at the boy who was shaking, the tremors going unnoticed by the man who was holding him. On reflex, Nick grabbed the boy and tugged him closer. "Smoker!" And, on reflex, Ellis pulled out his axe and quickly elbowed Nick away. He stared, wide-eyed. "Shit, man. That's the second time I thought you were a zombie..." He set his axe back on his back, still shaking. "I... Why'd you do that?"

Nick rubbed his nose, where the blood was starting to flow. Ellis had elbowed him in the nose, and it _hurt_. "You looked cold."

"I'm not." Ellis looked away from the man, focused, instead, on the growling sounds that he was hearing. "They're here."

"No _shit_, Sherlock."

Francis glared at Nick, who offered a shrug, instead of an apology. "Nick, you go on ahead and be Hunter bait."

"N-No. I'll do it." Ellis spoke up before Nick could even come up with something witty, hurrying ahead and disappearing.

Nick heard a Hunter scream. "_Great_." He hissed, under his breath. "You just _had_ to give the kid the idea to go off ahead and get ripped apart by a Hunter, didn't you?"

"You should have done it, not him. If you're _that_ worried about him, _you_ do it."

Nick glared, rubbing the ring on his finger. "As _if_. He's attached himself to your waist, not mine. You get him."

Francis smirked. "That makes you bait, all alone back here."

"You know what, Francis? Go suck a d-"

"HUNTER!"

Nick and Francis jumped, upon hearing Ellis' scream. Nick reacted first, pulling out his M16 and rushing forward, finding the boy not too far ahead attempting to push the Hunter away. The hooded infected was persistent, claws finding themselves to a body part they could find. Nick shot at it, glaring at the limp body on Ellis. "You're not supposed to get so far ahead we can't reach you," Nick sneered as Francis came into view. "You're late."

Francis held out his hand, which Ellis took, mumbling a, "much obliged," before brushing himself off. "Thanks, Nick." He spoke, next. Nick just shrugged again. "So that's one down..." A Hunter screamed, pouncing on Ellis. Nick and Francis stumbled back. "Again?!"

"I got it, I got it." Francis took out his pistols and shot at the hunter. He wasn't getting anywhere. The Hunter growled as he was shot, but dug his claws into the boy's chest, clawing down. One last shot and the infected froze, tumbling to the side, dead. Nick rubbed his head. "You alright, kiddo?"

Ellis looked down at his torn shirt, offering a smile. "Just fine. Don'tchu be worryin'."

"You... sure...?" Francis was skeptical, but Ellis nodded, even id he was wincing as he stood and offering a laugh. "It doesn't look too good."

"It's fine. All the more reason to go find water..." Ellis' voice came out slowly, painfully, and Nick reached for the medkit on his back. He opened it, stopping. Ellis looked over. "Ah, Nick, what... I don't need..."

Nick stared blankly. "You don't? Really? Because I swear to God, Ellis, you look like you're going to start walking slower and limping. That lovely trail of blood you're going to leave will sure help us, too. Shut up and take off your shirt." Silence. Ellis stared, eyes wide. Francis laughed. Nick grumbled as Ellis did as he was told, wincing as he attempted to. "Damn it, here." Nick reached for it himself.

"Ah..." Ellis stammered, but Nick ignored him, taking the reddening shirt and hat from the reddening boy and discarding them on Francis' face. The man growled, but Nick ignored Francis, too, spraying some antiseptic onto the wound. "Ow..." Next, the bandage. Nick wrapped it, gently, stepping back to check how he did before closing the pack and leaving it on the ground. The only problem with first aid kits was that there were almost no resources in them. There was just enough spray for one wound, and enough bandage to keep the wound wrapped, but there was nothing to re-wrap it later when it would be needed.

"We'll need to find another kit on our way back." Nick turned. "Let's get going."

Francis held out Ellis' shirt. Ellis bit his lip. "Erm..." He fidgeted. "Can you..."

"Here." Francis helped him put it on, ignoring the flushed cheeks Ellis had as he fastened his hat on his head. It grew quiet. Ellis fell into step behind Nick, Francis next to the boy.

It was comfortably quiet, for a while, until Francis picked up the sound of a river. He smiled. "You hear that? Water."

Ellis jumped, excited, starting ahead. "I'm so thirsty, man!" He broke into a run, though quickly stopped, eyes wide. "G-Guys?"

"What." Nick growled.

"Umm, that roarin'? It ain't water."

"_Shit_."

* * *

Wow. Well, most of this was finished yesterday. Seriously. So this one actually has a semi-cliffhanger ending.  
So... Blegh. Has anyone else noticed that Infected just seem to hit Ellis left and right? That, and Coach. Whenever I play, Ellis ( normally me ) is getting smoked, hunted, jockeyed, boomed... Nick's always, always, the first to notice, and normally the one to save me. It gets awkward when I play online, 'cause I'm constantly yelling for the Nick player to save me even when he might not be able. xD Trust me, people notice.  
That, or I don't say anything. Then when I end up dead, everyone freaks out. I'm such an evil person.  
Anyway. Reviewers, I love you. Not reviewers, I like you. I don't review, I don't expect you too. So yay. Awesome people.  
I'm bringing brownies to my next Authors Note. So if you can deal with no Coach, Rochelle, Bill, Louis, and Zoey for just a bit longer, all will be well. Because Bill is epic win. Who's your favorite L4D1 Survivor? Mine is Francis. Because he's invincible. x3  
This Chapter has a title! Gasp! Bye~


	3. Footsteps

"G-Guys?"

"What." Nick growled.

"Umm, that roarin'? It ain't water."

"_Shit_."

-

-

-

Ellis froze, light eyes focused on the mutated form. He couldn't even tell what it once was. Man, or woman? It had lost all of its hair, but not its clothing, and was hunched over. It was definitely not human. Not anymore. It was giving a low sound, facing away from the survivors. "Wh... What is it?"

The person, hearing him, turned around. That was when Ellis saw it. The infected was chained up in a straight jacket. Its eyes were glowing, its lips nonexistent. Ellis still couldn't tell if it was man or woman.

Then it screamed, a terrible, high-pitched scream.

"You pissed it off!" Nick growled, taking out his M16 and shooting bullets at the infected. It ran, then, screaming louder. "Kill it, kill it!" Ellis jumped to attention, aiming the screaming infected down until it died. He laughed, breathing a sigh of relief. "Kid, look what you did." Ellis blinked, turning around to see the horde, groaning and heading towards them.

"How in hell-"

"That screaming thing must have been so loud, it brought the horde _and_ we didn't notice." Francis shot his gun a couple of times, bringing down some infected. "You guys ever seen anything like that?"

"Not once." Nick walked closer to Ellis, noting that the hick was backing up. Gunshots rang out, limbs torn from bodies, heads decapitated...

Ellis hit a tree. Subconsciously, he muttered a, "sorry," and continued to shoot. He heard coughing. "That's not a tree..." Something slimy wrapped around his torso. "S-Smokers got me!"

Just before the claw hit his back, Nick jumped into his line of vision and tugged the tongue off of him. Ellis turned first, shooting into the stomach of the tall infected and stepping away from the smoke cloud. "Thanks..."

"I don't have another health pack. Keep going."

Ellis frowned, looking around for Francis and waiting for the man to show up. He did, a couple seconds later, a scratch on his shoulder but unscathed, other than that. "What... was that?" Francis rubbed his shoulder, staring at the blood before wiping it on his shirt.

"I'unno. It was some sorta mental patient, though. In a straight jacket... Keith was put inta one of those, once. They thought all the stuff he did... he was makin' up... an'-"

"Ellis, is now the best time?"

Ellis closed his mouth, looking down. "Okay."

"Ignore that bastard, continue the story."

Ellis blinked, looking up at the man before looking away to hide the blush on his cheeks. "N-Naw. Nick don't wanna hear it... 'Sides, yer hurt. Last thing you need is me chatterin' away."

"It'll make me feel better."

Ellis bit his bottom lip. "Erm, Nick..."

"No. I don't want to hear your story. It's stupid."

Ellis clenched his fists. "A-Alright."

Francis glared at Nick, who offered a smirk. "Why do you listen to this asshat? Just continue with your story, who cares?"

"No, Nick said no, so..."

Francis grumbled something, inaudible. He glared at Nick again, who had a smirk on his face so wide that he was almost tempted to wipe it off. With his fist. "That's not funny, _Nicolas_." A laugh escaped his lips when that smirk faltered. "There we go." Nick pissed him off. He didn't like Nick, or that ring on his finger. A grin crossed his lips. Payback time. "Hey, Ellis."

"Yup?"

Francis snaked an arm around his shoulder. "You know, I think we need to have a talk about what happened back there in the garage..." Ellis' eyes darted to Nick, not Francis, face reddening. "It's kind of important."

"Iunno, I thought we already discussed this, 'n with Nick right here it's sorta... awkward."

Nick resisted the urge to cross his arms, giving a huff. "No, no, feel free to continue this conversation."

"What with the conversation _we_ had 'n all..."

"Ellis, shut up and let Francis talk."

Ellis shut up, looking downward. His cheeks burned. "I think, that what happened back there? What you did? And then I did?" Ellis put his fingers to his lips. Yeah, he knew what he was talking about. And he was going to _fuck. This. Up_. Oh well. He hated cowards who didn't take chances. "I think we should try this out. Stick together more, get to... ah... know each other. And, oh, stay away from Louis and Zoey. Constantly."

Ellis mumbled something about water, ducking from the man's hold. "We... not _now_. Not this kinda talk. Not now." Francis shrugged, glancing at Nick.

He looked ready to kill. "What's wrong, Nicolas?" He sneered. "Is that some jealousy in those already-green eyes?"

"Didn't take you to be a _reader_, Francis." Nick responded, turning to face slightly away from the man. "It's more curiosity, since Ellis is making this seem more like rape and less like friendship."

Nobody talked, not a word.

-

A river was found, miraculously. Ellis ran forward, placing his hands in the water. "It's cold, clear, and _liquid_." He pulled out a conjoined-palm-full, placing it to his lips.

Francis sat beside him, though merely stared at the water. Nick spoke up. "Ellis, it's probably contaminated. It looks way too clear and not bloody." Ellis blinked, innocently, not understanding. "You understand we're in a zombie apocalypse, yes?" Ellis nodded. "You understand that we haven't come close to finding a source of water that wasn't strewn with bodies and blood?" A pause, and then Ellis nodded eyebrows knitting as he attempted to put two and two together. After a while, Nick sighed impatiently. "It means something's up."

"More survivors?"

"Highly doubt it, but, you never know." Nick eyed up and down the river, then shook his head. "No. We're regrouping and coming back here. We're not splitting up, not now."

Ellis played with the water. "This could be our only chance to find more people, though. They could be takin' off today and leavin' us behind instead'a us findin' them and keepin' them alive."

"They're better off dead. Let's go back."

"They're not, if they kept this river clean." Ellis was arguing, and Nick hated when Ellis finally started fighting back, because it got him aggravated, got him to say things he didn't mean. "I say we go up the river and search."

"Ellis, the only way to search efficiently is to split up. There's three of us. It isn't happening. We're turning around."

Francis walked a bit closer to Nick, cracking his knuckles. "We'll split up. You'll go down the river, and me and Ellis will go up the river. Perfect plan."

"You know, this whole hate-grudge thing? You're making it kind of obvious." Nick pulled off his ring and waved it in front of the man's face before putting it back on. "Though, so am I."

"Looks like we're heading back, kid." Francis looked towards Ellis, changing the subject they were on before it escalated. "We need to get to some sort of safehouse to rest in before we even look for some other survivors."

Ellis must have found the logic acceptable, because he downed one last sip, rubbing his face and arms before standing up. They were already walking back, guns in hand, looking around. Nick's gaze was on Ellis, who seemed so mysteriously lost in thought. "What about Keith..." The stray words were caught.

"What about Keith?"

Ellis jumped, staring at Nick, and then looking at Francis, who had looked back at him, too, before shooting at a stray zombie. "Ah! Nuthin', it's just, I'm worried he didn't make it on the helichopper an'... if he didn't... he might be here..."

"You think your crazy friend is _alive_, one, and _took the same route as us_? We _drove here_, Ellis. That stupid hick friend of yours probably can't drive a car."

Ellis looked forward. "That ain't true. Well... it is, 'cuz his license was suspended fer DUI..." But... it ain't." Ellis was going to start talking again. Damn it. "It was pretty funny, too. We were all piss drunk in the back of his car, 'n he saw the officer, but tried speedin' past him, which, thinkin' back on, ain't a good idea..." He was talking, making Francis slightly irritated. Nick was already at breaking point, just seconds after the boy started talking. "'Course Keith swerves off the side of the road. Says there was a dog, to the officer, but the officer just laughed at 'im and took his license."

"Ellis..." The boy looked over to Francis. "Stop talking."

"Okay..."

Nick saw Ellis deflate, a little, and he felt himself swell with pride because _he wasn't the bad guy_, not this time. "So. Anyone know where we're headed?" Ellis and Francis stared at Nick with such confusion etched on their faces, that Nick found his pessimistic thoughts too _positive_ for this situation. "Right. Of course. If we get lost, Ellis, because you just wanted a drink of fuckin' water, I'm going to waste my bullets on you." Ellis cringed. No, not this time. He wouldn't be the bad guy again. "Look. If we find a bunch of bodies, it means that we're probably on the right track, seeing as the only zombies we've seen was that horde we picked off not too far back." The optimism made his jaw hurt. Ellis seemed to brighten, though.

Nick felt better, all of a sudden. Like getting lost might not be such of a bad thing. "Fucking Hell, Ellis." He growled.

"What?"

"Optimism isn't supposed to be contagious."

Francis laughed first, and it took Ellis a moment to realize what he was implying before he laughed, too. "I knew I'd getcha." He said, cheerfully. "Everyone I know has a smile by the time I'm through with 'em."

Or they just want in his pants, Nick thought, bringing him back into his pessimistic state. He growled, strapping his gun to his back and taking out his pistols. "Whatever. Just stay close."

Trees rustled in the wind, and as Nick turned to look around, he noticed Ellis' steps closer to Nick than Francis. Good. Things were normal again.

Sobbing, now. High-pitched, female sobbing. Nick cringed, cursing to himself. Did this always happen when he thought things would go right? "I'mma start cryin' if she keeps that up." Ellis mumbled, lowering his voice and dropping into a crouch.

"Do Witches come out before nightfall?" Francis mumbled.

"Of course, genius. All infected do. The sun doesn't bother them. They aren't vampires."

"Oh..." Francis paused. "Suppose I owe Louis five bucks, then."

Ellis snorted, then laughed, covering his mouth because it was so quiet and that comment just seemed so funny, so fitting, and he couldn't control himself. "Ellis, shut up." Nick could see her, behind one of the trees, head turned in recognition, sobbing slowly turning into a growl. "Ellis, _please_, shut up." Ellis was still laughing, though, and Nick was starting to panic. "I swear to any God that may exist, Ellis, if you piss her off..." Ellis stopped laughing. Nick turned, wondering what on Earth could have stopped a laugh like that. What he found was... interesting.

Francis' lips. On Ellis'. Nick felt his chest swell with some sort of anger as the Witch started to calm down. Ellis' cheeks burned. Francis pulled away once the growling turned into sobs again. "Ah, that-"

"Whatever." Nick struggled to keep his voice level, calm. "We're going around her. Keep quiet." Ellis looked down, cheeks still red, and Nick noticed his steps had gotten closer to Francis' again. The swelling in his chest had gotten worse, to top, and as he struggled to breathe normally, he cursed life for making Francis appear again.

* * *

Whooo~ So... umm... They're going to get out of the woods. They are. Soon. I swear.  
On a not-bright-note, I was forced to make a new gamertag and so now I'm sad... my old one matched the name of this account, so people may have been able to recognize me... as if I was that famous, pshhh... but now there's no way! Cry cry!  
I wonder why I made it horror instead of drama. I should change it. Meh... too lazy. I'll just have to kill off characters and add more blood and guts. Yey. Interesting.

OH! Before I forget! The Special Infected in the beginning of this chapter is a SCREAMER. It was edited out of Left4Dead due to it's confusing properties. It was one zombie in a straight jacket that will scream when it spots you. Then you have to chase it down and shoot it down or the horde will come at you. Of course, I had to tweak it, because I can't have no zombies gettin' away. I don't even remember if that's the exact play of it anyway. It's on youtube, though.

BTW, for anyone planning to review; should I dress up special infected? Like a Witch in a wedding gown, for example? Not doing that, probably, but any ideas?


	4. Keepin' Watch

_"Whatever." Nick struggled to keep his voice level, calm. "We're going around her. Keep quiet." Ellis looked down, cheeks still red, and Nick noticed his steps had gotten closer to Francis' again. The swelling in his chest had gotten worse, to top, and as he struggled to breathe normally, he cursed life for making Francis appear again. _

-

They walked in silence, and as the night fell, Nick cursed again. "I think I see a porch light." Ellis tried, lips upraised in such an annoying fashion that Nick was tempted to say anything in his power to drop that smile.

"Do you?" Nick growled. "'Cause I haven't seen a damn thing since the sun set. I can hardly see two feet in front of my face, and my flashlights are out of batteries. I think you're seeing things."

"Someone's stingy."

Nick glared at Francis, who started to whistle lowly, like he was innocent. "I don't appreciate _faggotry_ just inches from my face." He growled. Ellis flinched, breath stopping for a second before he continued again. "The hell'd you do it for, anyway?"

"It's the only way to shut him up!" Francis held his hands like was caught doing something, lips curling as he held in a laugh. "I swear, it is. He admits it. You wanted him quiet, so I shut him up." He glanced over at the hick, who tipped his hat, head turned away. "Can't say I wouldn't do it again, though."

Ellis cringed again. Nick felt his pace slip. Ellis took the lead, light straight ahead, not anything like it normally was. The kid was always looking around, flashlight moving everywhere and it made him look like a schizophrenic. The sobbing had finally stopped, which meant the worst was probably over. As long as one of those crazy infected didn't show up again...

Nick froze. There it was. "Whatchu stop for?" Ellis mumbled. Nick narrowed his eyes, raising his gun. "Niiiick." The infected turned, eyes wide. It had heard Ellis, hadn't it. "_Nick-_" Nick turned his head, grabbing at Ellis' shirt with one hand and successfully shutting him up and wiping that smile from his face.

With a kiss.

It still worked. Whatever. Ellis squeaked, eyes wide, cheeks flaring. Gunshots. There was a quiet groan before the Screamer fell to the ground, eyes still open. Nick pulled away from the boy, then, wiping his mouth with his sleeve while the other two stared at him incredulously. "What? It's the only way to shut him up!" Nick rose his hands in imitation of Francis. Ellis was rubbing at his mouth, gun fallen to the floor. "What?" Nick rolled his eyes. "It was just to shut you up, kid, don't get too full of yourself." With that, he stalked forward, gun raised.

"He... just..." Ellis swayed. "He just... why'd he..." Francis bent down and handed him his gun. "Much obliged." His voice cracked, the smile faltering. "That did happen, right?"

Francis cocked his gun. "Yup. It did. Don't let it bother you so much. It should bother me, not you."

"Why?"

Francis grinned, reaching for the boy's hand. "Because _I'm_ the only one that can do that."

It grew quiet, and Ellis froze, biting his bottom lip as he contemplated the pros and cons of any reaction. It didn't get far, because Ellis was far too emotional to think logically. "A-A'ight, I s'pose..." He mumbled, starting forward. "...that makes us an 'item'?"

"Ah, well... if you want... if you'd like..."

"Yeah." Ellis squeezed the hand in his. "Yeah, I think I would."

-

Nick saw the porch light Ellis had been talking about. It was flickering, sometimes on, sometimes off, and Nick guessed it was the team, trying to conserve whatever energy was left in the bulb but still signaling them to where they were. They must have been careful to stick close to the woods, then. For them. It almost gave him hope for humanity.

Almost.

He heard footsteps behind him, so turned to mention the light. That was, of course, until he saw the conjoined hands. His lips curled downward. "You've _got_ to be kidding me." Ellis flushed, and Nick saw pink on Francis' cheeks, too, but neither spoke. "I'm babysitting, aren't I? Whenever I leave you two alone, something happens. It's like being the father of a teenage girl who's having a party. Damn it..." Nick glared, turning his head. "You know what? I'm going to stop caring what goes on, because once I start, I'll end up knowing too many horrible, horrible things. There was a porch light, Ellis, you're right. We're heading this way. Let's go."

-

Ellis was the one who spotted it again, once it turned on, and he ran, ran like there was a Jockey on his tail – the boy never could shoot one off before it got him. Francis didn't even bother to run after, lagging behind him but still ahead of Nick. "Kid's gonna get hit..."

"Whooohoohoohooo~"

Nick saw Ellis kick down a door, and he saw flashes of skin. Zombies? No, Ellis wasn't shooting. Francis hurried to follow. Nick just caught the end of whatever conversation that had been going on. "And oh man, does that thing scream!"

Rochelle glanced at Nick. "Is Ellis okay?" She questioned. Nobody asked Ellis if he was okay. The boy, though a horrible liar, could easily pretend he wasn't hurt, and avoid the question. 'Do I look okay' was his most common response.

"Why don't you ask Francis?" He didn't mean to sound so angry, so irritated, but he found himself searching for another room. "Francis is his boyfriend, not me. I'm done babysitting." He found a door, swiftly shutting it and locking himself in it. The walls were thin, however, too thin.

"The hell's his problem?" Bill leaned against the wall, staring at the one cigarette left in his pack with a mixture of longing and hatred.

Ellis flushed. "W-Well, me'n Francis, sorta..."

"We kissed. Three times."

All eyes were on them. Francis slowly reached for Ellis' hand. "Ho... Shit." Coach rubbed his forehead. "I... I don't approve. Hell no, boy. Hell no."

Rochelle shoved him. "Coach! Just because it's not _you know who_ doesn't mean you can't approve!" She hissed.

"I spent days practicing my approval speech. This is fucked. No."

Ellis fidgeted a bit. "Erm..."

He looked around. It seemed Zoey had retired to bed, and Bill was sleeping on the couch, it seemed. Louis was biting one of his fingers to keep from laughing. "We'll discuss this later." Coach sighed, walking over and patting his head. "You and Louis are keeping watch." With that, he and Rochelle started upstairs, mumbling amongst themselves.

"Hey Louis. You can get some rest. Me and Ellis will stay up."

Louis stared, then laughed, finally. Ellis flushed red. "First of all, that was a grammatical error. It's Ellis and I. Second, _no_. If I let you stay up with this kid, you'll rape him or something, and then _none_ of us will get sleep." Both parties flushed, now. Louis stretched his arms. "There's an extra room upstairs, unless you're planning on sleeping in Nick's room." Francis scowled. "That's what I thought."

Francis started up the stairs, though turned, last second, a kiss being placed on the boy's cheek. Ellis squeaked, making Francis laughed. "Good night." Francis turned and headed up the steps then.

Ellis headed to the wall, leaning against it. His breath was labored. "Yo kid." Ellis looked up to face Louis, who was smiling at him. "You don't like Francis like that, do you?" Ellis blinked. "I can see it. You don't know what you're getting into."

"It's not that I don't like him, sir..."

Louis raised an eyebrow. "Please. Just call me Louis." The man inspected the boy. Lean, definitely young... was that blood? "Ellis... What happened out there? You're bleeding."

Ellis offered a sheepish smile. "Well, Y'know those hunters? They both went after me... And the second one got a good chunk of my chest..." He was laughing, how peculiar... "Nick wrapped it up, though. He always wraps things up the best." The boy stared at the open door, where a lone zombie was waddling past, unaware. "I.... I apologize for kickin' the door down... That'll make it harder for us..."

Louis shook his head. "I was actually going to leave it open. That way, we'll see the zombies and they wont have to make noise trying to break the door down. We should have kept going, but Zoey insisted we wait for you. Said you wouldn't be back until late. She was right."

Ellis scratched his neck. "Sorry 'bout that. The river was pretty hard to find..." He sat down, next to Louis, reaching for the gun propped on his back. It had enough ammo to last him the night. "So who's going to bed first?" It grew quiet. "I think you should, alright? I'll keep maself up jus' fine... I'll wake Zoey when I get lonely."

Louis sighed. "Ellis..."

"Mhmm?"

"Do yourself a favor and just relax, for once, okay?" Ellis blinked. Louis rolled his eyes. "You've been incredibly tense this entire time. I know this, how? Because I was just like you, not too long ago. So get some rest. There's bags under your eyes. Those bruises cover them up well, though..." Ellis' eyes were wide. "I'm not stupid, Ellis. So if it's alright with you, I'm going to let you stay up for a while, then send you to bed, alright?"

Ellis couldn't help but smile. Louis reminded him of his mother. "Y'know, no one ever told me I looked tired."

"You do. So please, Ellis. Get some sleep soon?"

* * *

Dudes, I just saw the craziest thing the other day. Nick-bot had yellow health and Ellis-bot had just been downed, and Ellis-bot takes out his health kit, the ONLY health kit left, runs over to Nick, and heals him. I, having been Rochelle, found this _hilarious_. And proof. PROOF. That Ellis likes Nick. It was "awww" worthy.  
Anyway. Louis is so perceptive. At least, in my eyes, he'd be the kind of person that sees through the shit in people. And I SWEAR I saw bags under Ellis' eyes. I SWEAR. In Hard Rain he definitely does. Parish? Ohhh, yeah. Not in the first level, but like, the third one.  
So, umm... They're out of the forest! So yeah, the drama is starting. Whooo! Ignore the grammar fails, because it's late, and this story's late, and I don't feel like editing it. At all. Meh.


	5. Breaking Point

_Ellis couldn't help but smile. Louis reminded him of his mother. "Y'know, no one ever told me I looked tired."_

_"You do. So please, Ellis. Get some sleep soon?"_

-

Ellis eventually passed out, leaning against the wall. He mumbled in his sleep, but nothing too harsh. Louis slowly got up and opened the door to Zoey's room, bringing her in. Zoey looked at Ellis, smiling, laughing softly. "That kid... what's he going to do..."

-

Ellis got the first comfortable sleep he'd had since Virgil dropped them off about a mile from the bridge. Zoey was leaning against him, and he woke that way, rubbing his eyes to find the woman with her gun lowered, but fingers twitching. Louis had been replaced with Coach, and Ellis knew this because he could just smell the poptarts. He hated those things, with a passion. His stomach had rejected them, at first, but now the smell had him on his feet. "Woah!" Zoey fell over, laughing.

"Ahh... sorry!"

"No no, it's fine." Zoey propped herself up with her hand, shaking her head. "I needed a good start to wake me. The zombies will be heading over due to the smell soon... Ellis, can you wake up the team?"

Ellis was already on it, shaking Bill up and slamming the doors open before heading up the steps. "Ro!" The toaster popped, and Coach set the poptarts aside before setting in the next pair. Ellis walked down the steps, and Zoey looked up. Francis was walking behind him, eyes somewhere they shouldn't be. Ellis wouldn't notice, of course. Zoey braced herself at the door as Ellis ran down, raiding the pantry. "All they got is Poptarts and Twinkies – aww hell yeah! TWINKIES!" The boy grabbed the box and jumped on the couch, next to Bill, who looked ready to kill. Rochelle walked down, finally, realizing Nick wasn't up and heading into the man's room.

Gunshots rang out, but everyone was so accustomed to the sound, that they ate in relative silence. Each person was given a half of a Poptart, and after a bunch of fighting, Ellis was told to save the Twinkies for their dinner and it was shoved into a knapsack. Rochelle shoved a couple water bottles into hers. The third was given to Coach, who kept it empty.

"Here, let me take that for you-"

"I c'n carry it, man, lemme carry it."

"Ellis, hand me the bag."

"Noooo~" Nick finished the last of his poptart, grateful for his timing because Ellis was running out the door, shotgun in hand as he ran from Francis. "Mah Twinkies!"

"Fucking idiot." Nick loaded his M16, starting out the door. Coach and Bill walked after, followed by Rochelle, Zoey, and Louis. "Hope a Charger beats some sense into him or something..."

"Nick!" The man turned. Rochelle was glaring. "Don't you think something like that!"

Nick shrugged, looking at Ellis. Francis had caught up to him, grabbed his hand, and had whispered something that made Ellis blush. Nick scowled. Stupid kid... Ellis' eyes went wide, all of a sudden, hand slipping from Francis'. "Smoker..." He hardly got the chance to speak, because he was being pulled. Francis looked around for the thing.

"DUMBASS." Nick narrowed his eyes, shouting at Francis, or maybe Ellis – hell, he didn't even know – as he found the line of tongue and shot down the smoker. Ellis pushed a few zombies away from him, shooting them and tipping his hat in Nick's direction. A silent thank you. Odd, the kid was never quiet... "Hey Francis, nice shooting there."

"Great use of sarcasm. Damn." Francis responded quickly, rolling his eyes as he grabbed for Ellis' hand again. "Don't let go." Ellis mumbled something that only Francis could hear. Nick grit his teeth.

"Ahh, shit! Jockey on Zoey!" Nick didn't turn, because he didn't care, and Ellis was the one who noticed, even though she was all the way in back. Rochelle turned and shot down the laughing thing first, though Coach was the one to take down the common infected that were attempting to scratch at the winded woman. Zoey hurried back to the group. "Damn, she's never been rode by one of 'em, has she? Prob'ly scared her..." Ellis had worry shining in his eyes, and Nick looked to the right to hide his smile from the group. Ellis worried too much.

When the smile faded from his lips, he spoke; "Ellis, she's a grown woman. She doesn't need you watching out for her. The only one that needs constant supervision is you."

The sorrow in Ellis' eyes made him feel a bit better, for a split second, but the high just never lasted long enough anymore. Ellis used to take his insults with a smile, because he thought he was just teasing... but it seemed he didn't think that anymore. It was fine, honestly. He didn't care if the boy hated him. They were a party of eight, he didn't have to watch out for other people anymore, they could watch themselves and him just fine. "Everyone watch out, I hear a Charger." He wasn't suddenly keeping an eye on Ellis because he was worried, but because that kid would somehow always get hit.

Maybe it was because he still hasn't learned that you can't jump over a Charger.

It was strange, because the second he saw that, he noticed Ellis' eyes light up. "CHARGER." Then, he saw him jump, as if the monster infected wouldn't grab him anyway. Everyone immediately crouched and took it down, though, leaving the boy on the ground, rubbing his head and trying to get himself back up. "Damn, hope the Twinkies aren't too squished."

And everyone laughed; everyone except Nick.

-

"Shh, I think I hear my ex-wife."

Ellis' eyes were on the school. "You've gotta be kiddin' me." The sobbing echoed, loudly, and Ellis found himself covering his ears. "Do they gotta be cryin' all the damn time?"

"I hate witches."

Ellis was leaning against Francis, still trudging ahead, and Nick was too frustrated to deal with this. The gates to the school were wide open; they had no other choice. "Great. A school. You know, hormones and shit. How many witches can we spot? I swear to God..." Nick rubbed his temples. "Someone shut them up, please."

As they walked in the school, they found themselves oogling at the immense _size_ of it all. "It's like... the size of Nevada." Ellis mumbled. "And that's just the courtyard." Looking around, Ellis could see the hundred or so zombies that were stumbling about the courtyard. Slowly, he lowered his hands to grab his gun. "Hooollleee _shit_."

"One little, two little, three little witches..." Zoey found herself singing as she counted, and Rochelle joined in as they counted. A few zombies screeched and ran at them, which Francis dispatched of in mere moments. "seven little, eight little, nine little witches... Nine." Zoey stared. "Nine of them. In this courtyard. Among the horde. We're fucked." She was giggling now. "We're so... so screwed. Oh, what're we gonna do? Run? We won't get far. There's an opening on the far right, but there's no way... anyone find a pipe bomb?"

"There's one over there." Bill pointed to a building to their immediate left. "In the room. I saw a molotov, too."

Rochelle ran up, first, swinging the doors open and pointing her AK at something, anything.

Nothing.

"This is... odd." She dropped her gun. "Are all of the zombies in the courtyard? We could probably get rid of them with a pipe bomb."

"And risk startling at least six witches at one time." Nick snorted.

"I was merely making a comment, Nick." Rochelle answered, coldly.

Nick looked over a counter and found a dead body, decayed and half-eaten. He stared back at the group, then searched the body. There. A wallet. He smirked, quickly stuffing it in his pocket before- "Whatche doin', Nick?"

Crap.

"Nothing." The man responded. "Get out of my line of sight."

"I'm not in yer line'a sight, Nick." Ellis rebuked, and it was true, so Nick didn't answer. "Were ya stealin' again?"

"It's not like this guy needs his money."

Ellis started to speak, but as he saw the corpse, words died in his lips. "I'm..." He bit his lip, looking away. "I'm gunna be sick."

"You've seen worse."

Ellis shook his head rapidly – it was cute.

Shit. Wait. No. He took that back. It was... it was annoying. There we go. "You have. Remember all those bodies in the Parish? The ones that weren't infected and were shot? By CEDA?"

Ellis closed his eyes. "W-We dunno that, Nick."

"Yes we do. CEDA's gonna shoot anyone who's a 'carrier', Ellis, and that's you, me, and everyone here."

"Nick, don't start this, not now..."

"Ellis, face it. We're going to die." Nick could see the looks people were giving him, but he didn't care if _tears_ were streaming down the boy's face by the time they were done with this talk, it needed to be had. "Even if we ever made it to an evac, even if your hick friend Keith was alive in the same evac, we'd be killed or separated in such a way that you'd never even know we were still there. You'll never, _ever_ see Keith again. So can you just _not be happy_ for one damn minute, Ellis? Your smile irritates me."

Ellis' smile faltered, finally, and Nick wondered if he broke him. Rochelle looked at Coach, who shook his head. Louis mumbled something to Francis, who was making his way over, but stopped. Zoey and Bill weren't even paying attention. "I'll see 'im again." That smile was back, and that was it, Nick was at his breaking point. "He promised me we'd always be the best of friends... maybe more..." Ellis wasn't crying, and that was what surprised Nick more than anything.

That, and the punch to the face. "Ow, the hell, Ellis?" Ellis punched him again, and Nick fought back, catching the fist and twisting it. "Stupid kid."

Before he could even land a good hit on the boy, Francis was between them, followed by Rochelle. Rochelle held the boy in her arms, whispering things like, "You'll see Keith again, real soon, honey," and other sweet, sweet lies.

Francis pushed Nick, did _not_ whisper lies, instead gave the cold, hard truth. "You're the same cold-hearted bastard your wife left you for me for."

But Nick wasn't listening, because his eyes were on Ellis', who were stone cold and dead, almost. He'd done it. He'd broken him.

He felt his stomach twist with guilt because he'd never felt more euphoric.

* * *

Whoo for epic fast update and all nighters because of heat flashes that must be related to fever but aren't fever because I'm not sick and what's with this run on sentence?

This was originally a "The Passing" kind of take, but now it's not. Now I'm assuming the chopper they were in landed safely in an abandoned safezone, and the pilot shot himself. Alright? Alright. Then they took a car and drove outta there. I'll probably go into detail later. I'm just not going to go into that whole "watching what I say" shpeal when I could just do it the more fun way. Teehee.

I actually jump when I see a Charger. Not out of the way, no. It'll start charging and I'll be like, "OH SHIT NAW," but still just press A rapidly. Then I'll be charged and I'll be mumbling into the mic like, "The heck? Did I just do that? Whyy?" And my team's snickering about it on the side, I know. xD

Umm... Yeah. Nick just broke Ellis. He did. And Francis just went there, he did, he did.  
So Ellis snapped. I was waiting for him to snap throughout the entire game, where he just suddenly stopped talking midsentence, and Rochelle'd be like, "Ellis? Ellis, sweetheart?" And then he'd start laughing uncontrollably for like, a minute. Then he'd be normal again.

OH! By the WAY. In Dead Center, in the mall, if you have a melee weapon as Ellis and you hit the mannequins, normally, when you slice one of them, Ellis will start laughing. It's great.

OH! AND JUST TO MAKE THIS LONGER. I found another FxNxE Story. Squee. And I think they found mine. SQUEESQUEE. So like... if you're reading this, other triangle of lurrrve writer, I'm too lazy to review and I will instead say I love you. Teehee.


	6. Apathy Don't Suit Him

_But Nick wasn't listening, because his eyes were on Ellis', who were stone cold and dead, almost. He'd done it. He'd broken him._

_He felt his stomach twist with guilt because he'd never felt more euphoric._

-

-

-

It was deathly quiet as they rid of the zombies in the courtyard. Rochelle pocketed the pipe bomb and chose not to use it, due to the immense number of witches. Bill had managed to crown one, but the horde came at him and a second one nearly wiped him out. Ellis lit it up with a molotov, however, so it switched direction and aimed for him. Nick was the one who shot it down. As it died, Ellis turned and stared at him with those dead eyes.

The euphoric feeling came back. He'd finally got the kid to shut up, he had never been more happy. Coach was constantly looking at Ellis, worried, because the boy hadn't picked up his shotgun. Moreover, he was walking around idly, axe in hand, occasionally swinging at a zombie if he felt like it. Francis was watching his back, and even he was getting frustrated. "We need to stop." He said, finally. "Ellis isn't responding, it's bothering the fuck out of me." After about five minutes, they found a classroom with bulletproof windows and metal doors. A safehouse. The door shut, and Zoey barred it shut, closing her eyes and letting out a sigh before taking a seat in one of the chairs the classroom had.

"Ellis, sweetie, can you hand me your bag?" Rochelle was opening hers, taking out the water she'd brought and reaching out for Ellis'. The boy handed it over, still quiet.

Coach snapped. "Alright, Nick. You're going to tell me why you had to go and do this to Ellis, alright? He's a perfectly good kid and you've gone and broke his faith! He hasn't been fightin' zombies the same since you talked to him."

Nick reached for a water bottle, but Rochelle pulled it from him. He sighed. "Look. I was just giving the kid a heads up. If we even make it to a decent evac, there's no way in hell his friend's alive. If he is, then he most likely wouldn't be at our evac, and he'd probably have made it out before he became a 'carrier' like us suckers. They'd never see each other. Ever. It's time he grew up and got out of his little fantasy land, because there's no way I was going to deal with this false happiness. I was sick of it. We were all sick of it." No one spoke. Nick growled. "That's what I thought."

Francis wrapped an arm around Ellis, but the boy shrugged away, pointing to his ring finger. Francis blinked. "What... what?" Ellis held up the man's hand, now, stared at the gloves, and then walked over to the teacher's desk and sat there. Francis stared at his hand. "The f-"

"He's asking about that whole marriage thing." Nick mumbled. "Ring finger? You know, my ex-wife, which was _your_ wife not too long ago?" Francis suddenly looked down, ashamed.

"Shit, man, you were married?"

Francis nodded to Louis, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah... To this bastard's ex-wife, too. I didn't love her, but she was _loaded_, and she liked me, so I wasn't going to deny her." He smirked. "Besides, it was _his_ ex-wife. It pissed him off. And pissing him off is part of my job." Nick snorted. Francis scowled. "Traitor."

"You abandoned us first."

"Did not."

Nick rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to go into this with you. You're acting like a child."

Francis stuck his tongue out, emphasizing the 'child' point before glancing over at Ellis. The boy was staring out the window, watching a boy and girl zombie fight. "Ya ever see 'em fight?" He was mumbling to himself, and no one was listening, no one but Francis. "The girl wins. Always. Makes me wonder, 'cuz I was told that boys were stronger and girls were smarter. As like... a rule. Of life." Francis' eyes softened. The boy stopped talking again, watching the male zombie fall to the floor.

-

Nick was _not_ irritated. If he was, it was because the silence was so unsettling. Coach, Rochelle, Zoey, Louis, Bill... The entire lot of them just retired off to bed. Bill's hands were shaking though, with what must have been withdrawal symptoms. He was glad he wasn't addicted to nicotine anymore. He'd kicked that not too long ago. Francis was fighting sleep, eyes on Ellis.

Ellis' eyes were open, blank, lips curled down in a frown that just didn't _fit_ right, not on his face. Nick was staring at the boy, too, because nothing could get in, nothing could ever get in, so he was keeping watch, basically, just to look after Ellis. Nick found himself battling sleep, himself, but Ellis was awake, so he could sleep. "Hey Ellis... that stuff I was talking about earlier?" He yawned, looking for some sort of reaction that wasn't there. "I was just saying it to push your buttons. You're too happy, too damn happy." It was just them, after all, and the guilt, the guilt was tearing at him.

Ellis didn't speak, and Nick was content with that, because the boy hadn't spoke to a human in hours. "It's true." Ellis spoke, finally, and Nick forced himself awake. "What you said? It's true."

Nick wished he had something to say, anything, but those eyes looked so dead, like a broken china doll. The bruises under his eyes were still blue, and Nick rubbed his cheek, where the new bruise on his own face was going to settle. It was odd, really, because he wasn't mad. It wasn't because of some sort of crappy thing like guilt, he didn't know _why_ he wasn't pissed off that Ellis harmed his face, but he wasn't. "Look. I'm just saying that I crossed the line, alright? Don't get depressed on me."

Ellis didn't speak again for a while.

-

Francis woke with a start, mumbling about cafeteria food that should probably still be in the cafeteria. "I hate high school." Francis mumbled, yawning before attempting to wake up the rest of the gang. It grew quiet. "Guys." He looked around. Rochelle, who was just waking up, yawned loudly, though tilted her head in recognition of the man's word. "Nick." He turned to Nick now. "You were awake this entire time, correct?"

"Yup. Why?" After a long pause, he looked at the chair where Ellis sat, eyes still open, staring at the white board now. Francis finally noticed the scribbles on it. He smiled, reading some of them. Some were in neat, precise handwriting, all about stories of people's lives and their devotion to their boyfriend. Others were about how they wished they could finally be let out of school, and then there was a large note about how the principal was infected, and ordered a school shut down just to infect everyone at the school. He was distracted, for a moment. "Francis, why did you ask?"

Francis blinked, then frowned. Right. "Because I know Bill was here when I fell asleep last night, but he's gone missing."

Everyone immediately counted heads. "Seven..." Zoey stood. "We're going to look for him. I don't know what the hell happened, but-"

"Bill went out to find some cigarettes." Ellis finally spoke again, and everyone stared at him. "He left quietly, maybe he was sleepwalkin' or somethin', Iunno, he walked out the back door here." Ellis pointed at the door behind him, which nobody noticed, somehow. "A Hunter pounced him. I woulda' saved him, but there was a Charger waitin' for me. Couldn't wake ya in time..." The death didn't bother any of them.

Francis had been waiting for Bill to die. Louis had stopped talking to Bill, because the man was wearing out. He was old, thin, and frail, and even Zoey was waiting for the man to die. Coach murmured a small prayer, and Rochelle dipped her head. Nick, well, Nick honestly didn't care. Zoey was shaking, though. Her lips were curled into a forced smile. "You... didn't... wake... me UP? We're _done for_! Bill saved our asses so many damn times... Oh, the poor man..." She was laughing, laughing, and Nick rose an eyebrow at her. Ellis still had that blank look on his face. "You should have risked yourself to save him, but it's too late, now. Seven, we're down to seven. Splitting up won't be safe anymore. Great. No 4 and 4 for us..." Zoey was trembling; Louis and Francis moved over to her, to comfort her. "Ellis, you're a damned monster."

The boy only tipped his hat, staring out the window again. There was a Jocky staring at him, jumping around because he just couldn't top moving. The Jockey was laughing, but it couldn't be heard through the glass. Rochelle and Coach stared awkwardly at Zoey, who was laughing, laughing so hard. "His body's outside the door." Ellis said, finally. "I made sure it wasn't eaten."

"What courtesy!" Zoey pulled from her teammates, running to Ellis and standing over him, shaking, laughing. "You couldn't save him, but you could defend his dead body? Why didn't you just bring him inside and eat him yourself!?"

Ellis didn't answer again. Nick watched Zoey shake, laugh, and open the door, finding the dead man with blood pooled below him and a chunk of his abdomen ripped out. The Jockey Ellis spotted in the window turned to look, but with all the shaking and laughing, it figured Zoey was one of him and let her pull the dead man into the room. No blood spilled into the room, just a small trail from the dry blood as she dragged him in. She shut the door, falling, staring at the open eyes and smiling. "We all knew he wouldn't make it, but..." She turned on Nick, now. "WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU? You were keeping watch!"

Nick shrugged. "I was."

"Nick fell asleep." Ellis stood. "Only for about a minute, but Bill was waiting for it." Slowly, he grabbed his gun. There was nothing in this safehouse, nothing. His shotgun had half of it's ammo left, which was probably the most of all of the team. "Bill's gun. It has ammo in it."

"Ellis, you're scaring everyone." Rochelle sniffed. "Please, be Ellis again."

"I am me."

"Ellis, you ain't Ellis unless you're smiling." Coach grabbed for his gun, rubbing his eyes to hide the tears. "You just ain't."

Ellis shrugged, holding his gun carefully. "I thought y'all would prefer me quiet." He reached for the door, looking in the hallway. "It's always, 'Ellis, can this wait' and 'Is now the best time', an' so I don't see why you're tellin' me to talk again." Francis was glaring at him, and it made Ellis blink.

"Ellis, tell us a Keith story."

The boy froze, turning to stare at Nick. Nick saw a smile flash across his face. "You don't wanna hear it..."

"You guys were friends in high school, right?"

Life was returning to his eyes. "Well, yeah, we been friends for ages..."

"How long?"

Coach had a smile on his face, that 'I'm proud of you' look in his eyes as Nick coaxed Ellis out of the shell the man had put him into. "Since like... birth. Keith's ma and my ma were friends, so they raised us practically like brothers." Ellis' voice wavered, eyes lowering. "Lets just get goin'..."

"Ellis, continue the damn story."

Ellis clutched his shotgun, looking around the hall once more. It was deathly quiet. No moans, groans, or gurgles. Just quiet. "We were always like brothers. No one thought us any different. Me'n Keith, Keith'n me, always together, never fought. 'Till he got a girlfriend, 'course." Nick reached for Bill's gun, ignoring the growls from Bill's team. He reloaded his own M16 and taking the ammo lying in that gun.

Nobody talked, for a while. Ellis had stopped talking, not accustomed to finishing any of his stories, or even getting half-way through them. "I think it's best you two scout ahead." Coach broke the silence, finally, voice cracked. He missed Bill. "We five gotta clear our heads. If you could clear the way, maybe take out a few witches?"

"Sure, Coach. Whatever." Nick looked up at Francis, strapping his gun to his back before reaching for his pistols to reload. "We'll split two and five, then. That way, it's even." Sarcasm dripped off his tongue, but nobody questioned, nobody spoke, just staring at the dead Bill with sorrow in their eyes. "Continue the story, Ellis."

"You don't wanna hear it."

Nick shut the door. "Ellis, how is it that you manage to piss me off by _not talking_ more than by _talking_?" The boy was turning into a bathroom, a boy one, searching for something left on the ground that he wasn't going to find. Nobody would have a molotov in a school. Pipe bombs would be a stretch; Rochelle probably had the only one. At least Nick had the mollie strapped to his belt...

"Wh-Where was I? 'Bout Keith'n-"

"You and Keith were always together, never fought, until he got a girlfriend." Nick answered quickly, making Ellis stare, for a moment. "What?"

"You were payin' attention?"

"Of course I was."

Ellis finally cracked a real smile, and Nick swore his chest _wasn't_ swelling again, not with any sort of emotion that made him want to smile back. Ellis started rambling as they left the bathroom and started outside, continued rambling as they shot through zombies and steered clear of witches, even when they ended up running to avoid the hunter that was sleeping in a corner. Out of breath, Ellis was apologizing for hitting Nick, sniffling over Bill, and defending himself, like he should have been doing all along. "There was really nothin' I could do..." He smiled, a fake one, which quickly turned into a real, wide smile. "Hey Nick." The smile widened, and Nick blinked. "Yer smiling."

Nick covered his mouth, trying to force a frown and not finding the strength to do so. Ellis' smile was so bright, Nick just gave up. "Yeah, Ellis." He said, lowering his hand and they neared bleachers. "Yeah, I am."

* * *

So... I'm making them go crazy. It'll be fun watching them all slowly go crazy~ I promise~ Though I think I may just limit it to Zoey. I think she's mad. Like, insanely so. In No Mercy, she starts laughing in the elevator and calls "zombie bullshit" which is just weird. xD Just weird. So she's already cracked.  
Nick's such a bastard. But I love my Nicky, because he doesn't care that Bill got torn up by a hunter. Francis is disturbed. Very disturbed.

Coach has horrible grammar skills. I don't know why I give him that quality, but I do. Ellis' grammar is better, and he (MOST LIKELY) didn't go to college. Hello, mechanic?  
Is there a reason Ellis refuses to where his coveralls correctly? Because he's be AMAZINGLY hot with them on right. JUST SAYING.

Ignore the fluff in this chapter, because I really couldn't help myself. Really. I'm pathetic. I hate fluff and yet I put them in my stories... though, I suppose I just like knocking down my poor characters' morales. I just live to make them beg and scream and cry and just DIE.

By the way. I love Bill. But... unfortunately, he's the first to die. It just seemed... fitting.


	7. Coveralls

_Nick covered his mouth, trying to force a frown and not finding the strength to do so. Ellis' smile was so bright, Nick just gave up. "Yeah, Ellis." He said, lowering his hand and they neared bleachers. "Yeah, I am."_

-

"Shit, shit shit. Ellis, don't _move_." Nick came to a complete stop, hand moving to Ellis' chest to hold him back. "Don't speak, don't move... damn it, damn it..." He cursed, quietly. "Ellis... back up, back up." The boy didn't move. "Ellis, you're going to take three steps back or I'm going to _move you_ three steps back."

"Why...?"

"There's a Tank. It doesn't see us yet..." The boy jumped back. Nick realized a bit too late what was going to happen.

Ellis hit the wall and fell with a loud yelp. The Tank roared, and Ellis' vision shook. "Awww, apologies, Nick..."

"Ellis, you're still injured, and yet you call the Tank?! I should shoot you, leave you for Tank bait!" He shouted over the roars, over the trembling Earth, grabbing Ellis by the hand and pulling him around the bleachers. There was a sidewalk that split into the parking lot, and Nick could see the cars, could see the potential for the Tank to just go _bowling_ with them, but if they crawled over the Chevy... They'd be out of this school. "We're going through the parking lot."

"Nick, how many times have you been stuck under a car? No!"

Nick was pulling him, and Ellis contemplated stopping, but his eyes were shaking and he couldn't see... couldn't think, just run. "Once. That was on the bridge. You're the one who spent a minute pushing it off of me to keep me alive." Nick looked back to see the boy's flushed face, but he didn't bother to contemplate. The Tank roared behind them. Nick clutched the molotov and threw it at his and Ellis' feet.

"Ahh, shitshitshit, Nick, why'd ya DO THAT?" Ellis yelped as fire burned his heels, Nick gritting his teeth because the Tank was roaring in pain, now, which means he'd hit him. Nick tugged Ellis out of the fire, leading them around the cars and to that one truck. "Aww, I see." Ellis shifted and started walking backwards, as Nick pulled out his M16 to take care of the zombies he saw in their cars. The Tank came into view through the fire, and Ellis started pounding shotgun shells into the beast. It roared again, in protest.

"Turn around and climb!" Ellis turned, staring at the truck before the two started their climb over it.

The car alarm rang. "Awww, hell." Ellis hissed, inaudible over the loud noise. The Tank had stopped, looking around, and they used that to their advantage, hurrying over the truck. Ellis was reloading his shotgun, staring at the beast. The Tank flipped the truck and growled, throwing a couple more on top and successfully blocking their way back in.

And the others' back out. "Looks like it'll be just you and me, Overalls." Nick could see the horde in the distance, in front of them, and he reached for Ellis' hand. The boy squeaked. "We'll get separated if we don't do this. You can shoot a gun with one hand, so stick to it." Nick was staring straight at the horde as he held up his gun.

"A-Alright." Ellis fumbled with his shotgun in one hand, but Nick didn't let go, wouldn't let go. As the horde approached, Ellis realized he _couldn't_ shoot a gun with one hand, so quickly fastened to his back and grabbed his axe. "The Tank ain't comin' at us?"

Nick looked behind him. "No." The Tank was just fumbling about now that the cars were stacked, looking for the rest of a team that wasn't there. The horde finally came at them, and Nick started shooting, Ellis raising the axe with one hand and wiping limbs clean off. "Keep moving, keep moving." Ellis' hand clenched in his, and Nick realized that a zombie's claw had grazed his side. Nick shot to his right, pulling Ellis away as the boy swung. "Reloading!" Nick let go of the boy's hand to reload.

Then he stumbled back.

His whole vision was green, his ears rung. "DAMN IT, ELLIS." He was reloading, still, fumbling with the clip. Ellis was still swinging his axe, turning around to push zombies away. Through the haze, Nick could see zombies coming at him. He shot, rubbing his eyes with his free hand to get the green from his vision. Ellis was swamped. Nick shot through about ten of them to get to the boy, who had rivers of red across his body.

Already.

"You're so reckless..." As Ellis chopped the last zombie in two, Nick gave the boy a once over. "The wound on your chest opened up. That shirt has bile on it, it'll get your wound infected. Hand it over." Ellis did, with little complaint. Red was pooling on the bandages, and Nick cursed. "Coveralls. On. Now." The boy untied his coveralls from his waist, wincing as he put them on the right way.

And he looked _hot_ in them.

Nick swallowed, forcing himself to look away as Ellis neatly folded his shirt and attempted to tuck it under one arm. "Here, let me..." He held out his hand, taking the dripping shirt and sighing. "Let's just find some place to camp out and dry this thing... mine, too, while I'm at it." Nick stared at his suit with disdain. The thing was hardly white, anymore.

Ellis nodded, following the man. "Should we... hold hands again?" He murmured.

"No." Nick snorted, looking over at Ellis but looking away again. Parts of a tan chest were being showed, and the skin was such a beautiful color... _no_. "I'm not your mother, Ellis, I don't need to show you where to go."

"But... that's what you been doin' fer the past couple minutes."

Nick grit his teeth and held out his hand. "Whatever." Slowly, a warm hand slipped into his. Nick felt his cheeks flare, and looked away. "That car alarm cleared most of the infected nearby... the others probably heard, too." He paused. "Speaking of which, what's up with you and Francis?"

Ellis stopped, just for a second. Nick kept walking, though, so Ellis ended up being dragged along. He hurried in step, trying to find words that made some sort of sense. "Well... I don't... really know, Nick." He said. "Louis asked me that, too. Ion't really know what to say." Nick slowly moved left, and Ellis realized the man was edging him to the row of houses on the left. Still, the sudden closeness made his cheeks flush. "I think we might have somethin', though... maybe... kinda...?"

"You can't like him too much if you're willingly holding hands with me."

Ellis laughed. "Nah, 'cause yer just holdin' my hand so I don't get lost or wander off or get smoked too far away or somethin'..." He could hear a Spitter screech. "Ahh, one of those spittin' bitches..."

The ground in front of them turned green. Ellis jumped back, pulling Nick from the spit. "The fuck? Where is she?" Nick pulled out his M16 again, looking around. "I can't find her!" Ellis tugged him near one of the houses, pointing to an open window. "Suppose we're leaving her alive, then..." Ellis climbed into the window.

Nick was _not_ staring at his ass.

Nick climbed in after, gun ready. He could hear the gurgle of zombies. After all, this was a home they had infiltrated. "I think, after this, we could be in the army and annihilate." Ellis spoke, merely to break the silence, reaching for his shotgun. They turned the corner; Nick saw one. He shot, and Ellis jumped when the infected fell to the floor. "I think the kitchen's right up ahead..." The boy stepped over the bloody, sick body, lighting up and heading straight for the freezer. "Awww, ice cream. Look, Nick. It's even unopened." Nick felt the smile across his face when he spoke, forcing herself to scowl. "C'mon, here, let's eat. When was the last time we ate anything fattening?"

"When was the last time we found a house with electricity?" Ellis was already pulling open drawer after drawer to find a couple of spoons. When he did, he pulled at the plastic covering on the French Vanilla Ice Cream, tearing it open. Nick pulled out his pistol and manned the door, finding another zombie running at them just in time to pound three pistol bullets into his skull. The infected collapsed. "Ellis, I think we should hold out here."

"Hmm?" Nick turned, covering his mouth and 'coughing' to hide another smile. Ellis had his cheeks stuffed with vanilla ice cream. There was a dribble on his lips, a white color. "Whut?"

And Nick laughed, finally. He chuckled, reaching over and brushing his thumb over the boy's lips. Ellis froze. "You..." Nick pulled away, brushing the substance on Ellis' coveralls. "You looked like an idiot." He reached for one of the spoons.

"M-Much obliged, Nick..." It grew quiet. Ellis took another spoonful. He turned, then, raiding the pantry and lighting up, again. He grabbed a box of mac'n'cheese, holding it to his chest and ignoring the pain that followed. "Nick, Nick, look~"

It was crappy food, but it was food. Ellis was overjoyed, eyes bright. "My god, kid, just look for a pot and stop giving me that look." The boy set the box down and went on a search through the kitchen; Nick found himself searching for a newspaper, a map, _anything_ to tell him where he was and when. After about five minutes, Ellis was boiling water, and Nick had found it. He set down Ellis' shirt. "Lafayette, Louisiana."

"Whatchu talkin' bout Keith's sister for?" Ellis popped his head in the door, eyes wide and lips curled. "Louisiana was a fine kid... howdju know her name...?"

"It's the damned city we're in!" Nick found himself more exasperated than amused. "The next evac is in Austin, Texas. By the time we get there, it's going to be evacuated, most likely, so I say we go straight for California. The military should have a headquarters there, after all..." Ellis was fighting to understand. Already. "We're going to walk half-way across the country, Ellis."

"That'll take... days, weeks..."

"That's why we're going to find a car with some gas in it."

Ellis shrugged, turning to pour the pasta into the boiling water. "Whatever yew say, Nick." Silverware scattered onto the floor, and Ellis jumped. Nick turned in time to see the things on the floor. Nick sighed, standing up. Ellis was bent over, attempting to pick them up with fumbling, bloody fingers. Nick bent down to help. "Ah, ya don't hafta..."

"Ellis, shut up."

Ellis turned to stare, and that was when he realized that the boy's coveralls didn't quite fit right on the boy's frame.

The name tag read differently, too. "Ellis." He spoke, eyes narrowing. "Are those... _Keith's_?"

* * *

Pfff. I think I go on DeviantArt too much, 'cause I found this picture where Ellis was drawn with his coveralls on the right way. Sooo sexy. x3  
Ahahha~ So I split 'em up. Yay. This one was hard to write,'cause I spent ten minutes looking for that map you find in Dead Center? Yeah. That one. It wasn't on l4dwikia, so I spent forEVER looking for it. I did. It didn't get me anywhere. I know the west part of the US was completely red-X-less, though, so I sent them west.  
Keith's last name is officially LaFayette. I made it LaFayette since... ever ago, in stories I didn't put anywhere but my computer. So, when I see a city in Louisiana called LaFayette, what do I do? Freak out. Teehee. Louisiana is a name, It think, or it is in the south. So Keith has a sister named Louisiana, or Louise for short. She was sixteen, about seven years younger than Ellis. I made that up now. Unfortunately, she was one of the first to succumb to the Georgia Infection. Poor thing...

Anyway. Rate. Review. I don't know, but I realized I'm going insane checking on this story every day.


	8. Wrap Him Up

Ellis looked down, smiled sheepishly, and stood, placing most of the spoons and other items into the container he'd tipped over. He took one wooden spoon and stirred the pasta with it. "Yeah..." Nick scoffed at him. "Whut? Keith gave 'em to me, 'cuz mine were ripped by a zombie 'fore we got split." He set the spoon down. "Which is why I didn't wear 'em right; don't want Keith's coveralls getting' all ripped up. Much rather have 'em all good when I..." Ellis stopped. "If I see 'im again."

"You'll see him again."

Ellis turned his head to stare. "Naww, Nick, y'all know the chances of us bein' together again? _You_ told me-"

"Ellis, when have you ever listened to me?"

Ellis shrugged, turning to the fridge and pulling out milk and margarine. "Awe, Nick, I _always _listen, 's long as I ain't in the middle of somethin'."

-

"Oh. My. God." Ellis moaned. "That's gotta be the best food I've eaten since... since this whole apocalypse thing started! What was that, like... a week ago?" Nick rolled his eyes, because Ellis looked like he was going to _die of happiness_ over a bowl of macaroni. He was thinning, though, a bit too much, and Nick couldn't remember the last time – not counting the poptarts they'd eaten and the Twinkies that were still in his bag – Ellis had actually eaten as much as anyone else. When they'd manage to scour an apple from a tree, they'd taken turns eating it, one bite after another. Nick distinctly remembered Ellis not eating that night. Most of his shares were slipped into Rochelle's rations, actually, now that he thought back on it.

Man, he watched the kid too much.

"Finish up. If the others get here and see us eating this, they'll get way more angry than they should."

"Oh! No! I... the others..." Ellis stopped eating, swallowing and looking around. "Shucks. Shoulda saved some, shoulda..."

"Eat."

"I'm not hungry any more." The boy set his bowl aside, patting his stomach. "Ate way too much already..."

Nick narrowed his eyes, pushing his own bowl towards the boy. "Eat it, kid, before I play those baby games with you." Ellis had his lips shut tight. Nick sighed. "Here comes the train, choo... Oh god _damn_ it Ellis, just eat the damn food so we can actually get going..." The boy opened his mouth, finally, and Nick scowled as he shoved the spoon in the boy's mouth.

Ellis pulled away, grinning ear to ear. "Let's dine dine dine, my darling~" He hummed. Nick stared, and Ellis stood. He set the half-finished bowls aside, just in case the rest of the team came back. Nick was staring at him, and he laughed again. "What? I love that song~"

"You're a freak."

Ellis shrugged, still laughing. "Naw, Keith taught me that one"

Nick reached for his gun. He'd ask later. "Let's get going."

"Shouldn't we wait for 'em?" Ellis followed the man, anyway, starting out the door. He was staring around.

"Ellis, they may not get ready for god knows how long. Francis wanted to go to the 'cafeteria'." Nick found himself mocking the man, which didn't sit well with Ellis.

"Naw, man, don't be mean to Francis. He was hungry. We just got lucky."

Nick shrugged, shooting down a couple of zombies. "Forgot he was your boyfriend. Whatever."

"He's not-" Nick turned, eyebrow raised, and Ellis grew quiet, stopping at one of the houses. "Ammo." He mumbled, breaking the window with the butt of his gun before peering inside. He crawled in, jumping to the table where the ammo lie. Once Nick towered next to him, hands fumbling to find something to put in his M16, Ellis resumed talking. "He ain't my boyfriend, Nick. We just... kinda sorta like each other..."

Nick loaded his gun, loudly, scowling. "Of course you do." He growled. "Even though I'm the one who you've known longer, I'm the one who's saved your ass and wrapped your bandages, including the one you have on _now_, you like _that_ son of a-"

"Nick." Ellis interrupted, eyes narrowing. "Nick, are you _jealous_?"

Silence. Nick scowled. "No, idiot. I'm just wondering why you'd like him and not me."

"That sounds a helluvalot like jealousy ta me~"

Nick opened the door, walking outside. Ellis struggled to keep up. "You _wish_ I was jealous." He responded. He looked over to Ellis, who was flushed red. Nick snorted. "Oh, shit, you do." Ellis looked away. "Ellis, you are kidding, right?" Silence. "Ellis...?"

"Ain't It obvious, Nick?" Ellis spoke, quietly, scratching the back of his neck. "I thought you knew..."

Nick found his scowl relaxing, though it quickly regained itself. "I _kissed _you." His lips curled in disgust. Ellis shot at a zombie running at them. Nick wasn't paying enough attention. "Ellis, what the _fuck_?"

"I just... I'm sorry, Nick..." Nick found himself taking the boy by the wrist. "H-Hey, Nick-"

"Shut. Up. Just shut up." He steered them into the next house in the neighborhood. Just as he did so, he stumbled back. Ellis was silent, and that was bothering him... He shook his head, kicking the hunter in the stomach just as it sliced the bandages open. "Ahh, shit." The boy winced in pain as Nick helped him up. "That killed the mood." Ellis clutched at his stomach, struggling to keep the blood in. "Ellis, did you see a health pack anywhere?" The boy nodded to the bathroom across the hall. "Hold on..." Nick shut the front door, walking into the bathroom. Nothing, no health kit. There was a half-empty bottle of pills, though.

… And an overdosed teenager on the ground.

Nick took the pills and returned, kneeling and popping the cap. "Here, this should help a bit..." He was so worried. His heart was beating...

If Ellis died, he'd be alone. That was it, of course. Nick pressed a pill to the boy's lips, and he opened his mouth. "Damn it, Ellis... Take the pill."

"Naw, Nick. I can't swallow, really. It hurts..." Nick pushed the pull into the boy's mouth, then another, closing it. Ellis closed his eyes as he swallowed. His stomach pulsed. Nick stood again, finding the nearest bedroom. It was a little girl's, but it wasn't like Ellis would mind. He took the pink scarf, returning to the boy with it. "What's that?"

"Don't talk, idiot." Nick unzipped the boy's coveralls down to his waist, helping the boy out of them. Ellis was red again. "Now's not the time to get flustered, Ellis." He hissed, glaring at the wound. "Not going to work." He stood, bracing himself before picking the boy up.

"Woah~" Ellis flailed his arms, awkwardly, before linking them around the elder's neck. "Nick, I'm fine, I swear!" He mumbled.

"You're bleeding over my jacket." Nick almost stumbled, laying the boy on one of the tables. "Now let Doctor Nick fix ya up."

Ellis laughed, making Nick wince. He was just making this worse. "Nick, didja ever con someone inta thinkin' ye were a doctor?" He asked. Nick ignored him, taking the scarf and wetting it with the kitchen sink, thanking the heavens the water worked in this one, too. "I mean, ye are a conman, right? 'Course ya are, you said so once... Butcha look so honest all the time..."

Nick dabbed the wound with the wet cloth, making Ellis wince. "I don't, Ellis." Nick spoke, calmly, wrapping the cloth around the gash. "You just trust anyone who walks by."

"Keith told me that bein' paranoid was a waste of time. In Savannah, there's no such thing as conmen." After a pause, Ellis rose his hand, staring at it. "I feel dizzy. I gotta sit down or somethin'..." Nick didn't mention that Ellis was laying down, just wrapping the wound and hoping that he could find something in this house for the boy. He took another pill from the bottle and held it out. "Nooo."

"Ellis."

"Nooo..."

"Take the pill, Ellis. You'll feel better." The boy shook his head. "Ellis, you're going to take this one, and then I'm going to get you something to drink, alright? Just..." A pause. "_Please_."

Ellis took the pill.

-

Ellis woke with a start, only to groan in pain and fall back down onto the couch.

… Couch?

"Nick?" The boy clutched his stomach as he sat up, looking around. "Niiiick?"

"I'm right here."

Ellis looked to the ground, where Nick sat, playing with a gun. "Nick, ya can get some sleep. I c'n stay up, promise. I ain't in pain no more, 'n..." Nick gave him that _glare,_ a glare Ellis was used to. "Umm... never mind, I guess... I'll just stay up with ya, then."

"Ellis, stay on that damned couch and get some sleep. If that reopens again..." Ellis wasn't paying any attention, struggling to get up before falling back down. Nick sighed.

"Nick, I'm fine, I swear."

"How old are you, _thirteen_? You aren't fine, I'm not stupid, so just do me a favor so I don't have to worry about you."

It was quiet. Ellis forced himself to sit up. "You're worried?" The boy was giving him such an innocent stare. Nick didn't know why his face suddenly got hot. "Aww, Nick, that's sweet."

Nick stood, glaring at the boy. "I'm not worried about _you_, I'm worried about my own safety." The lie escaped his lips; he thought about taking it back, until he saw the dejected look on Ellis' face. "Do you wish I did?" Do you wish I cared?" Ellis flushed as Nick drew closer, one hand reaching for the boy's shoulder to push him _back_ on the couch where he belonged. "Do you wish I was so jealous of you being with Francis that I felt determined to do anything to get you?"

"Yes."

And Nick froze, eyes widening as he stared at that hick, that dumb, stupid hick.

His heart had _not_ just skipped a beat. Fuck.

* * *

AHAHAHA! TAKE THIS, MOTHER, I'M ON MY COMPUTER. -cough-  
Anyway. So... erm... I told you I wouldn't be on, but then I remembered that my 'rents totally don't realize that I'm on my computer if I say I have work to do. xD So, like... these updates? They're going to be sucky, and this 1800 word thing? Took me... days. I have no free time.  
No, that's a lie.  
I have no computer time. That's right.  
So, anyway. For those reading this AFTER I delete my AN, I was grounded, am grounded, but I'm such a ninja (even if I'm a pirate) that I can DO THIS. ...  
I cannot stand my brother and his begging for an Action Replay. Stupid kid's a cheater... But he'll get it because "his grades were better than mine" or something like that.  
Not cool.

So... umm, I apologize for whatever just happened, I'm not happy with this chapter, but I had to get this started. Lack of NxE makes me sad. I wish I could use Ellis Quotes for references... but no XBOX. Life sucks.

See you in a week or so with the next chapter! Maybe! I love you guys, honestly. You have no idea.


	9. Ellis in Zombieland

And Nick froze, eyes widening as he stared at that hick, that dumb, stupid hick.

His heart had _not_ just skipped a beat. Fuck.

-

-

-

It was suddenly awkward, so very awkward. Nick didn't move from his... _compromising_ position on Ellis, staring, so very confused. Ellis refused to look him in the eye. "Ellis." The boy bit his lip. "Ellis..."

"I'm sorry, I ain't no good at this..." Ellis closed his eyes, shaking his head.

Nick _was_ relieved. "I'd be worried if you were."

Ellis looked him in the eye, then, red-faced. Nick had only a twinge of pink. "An' _why_ would that be? I'm not no stupid kid! That's all you see me as!" Ellis' hands rest on Nick's chest, body screaming in pain because _he shouldn't be moving_, but he was, oh he was.

Weak pushes would get him nowhere, though; Nick didn't budge, hand curling on the boy's shoulder. "It's not."

"Really, 'cause if you didn't, then you prob'ly would have moved 'cause you'd know I'm capable of doing _this_." Ellis grabbed at the man's suit with the hands on his chest and pulled, clumsily pressing his lips to Nick's. It wasn't pleasant, at all, but it got his point across, all right.

Nick pulled away in seconds. Ellis' eyes were wide and so damn _innocent_ again. "You did that wrong." Oh, God, he was actually going through with this.

He knew he was going to get some sort of sick, Karma-related death, for this. He lowered his head, pressing a normal kiss on Ellis, not one that involved pain, but one that had the younger practically melting. His hands had gone from his chest to being wrapped around his neck, and that was when Nick pulled away, shaking his head, pulling the hands from his neck and standing up. "No, Ellis."

He would _not_ hurt the kid.

… The _man_.

"B-But, why would you-"

"I was teaching you how to do it. You kiss like an idiot." Ellis believed that, _somehow_ took that answer without question, deflating and turning his head away. Nick ground his teeth. He was the bad guy, he was always the bad guy. "If I even tried to do anything with you, I'd open up that wound." Ellis looked back over, glassy eyes bright. So easy to please. "No, no, that's not right. God, you're..." Nick cut himself off.

"Hear somethin'?" Ellis mumbled. Someone cleared their throat. Both boys looked over to the source.

"No, I just don't know how to finish the sentence." Nick replied sarcastically.

Silence, then, "oh."

Nick reached for the shotgun that lay on the side of the couch, handing it to the boy. "We don't have time to talk about this. Let's just get going."

"You jus' want to avoid the subject." With that said, Ellis struggled to stand. "'Cause you said you wanted me to get some rest, and yer contradictin' yerself."

"Ellis. Shut up."

"Okay." A shrug, and then Ellis limped forward. Nick bit his tongue to keep from changing his mind. He was walking Hunter bait, walking Smoker bait... "I'm gunna take the front, so you know if I get hit."

"You always take the front."

"I always get hit."

Nick didn't contradict him, seeing as it was true. Infected did everything in their power to get Ellis, as if they sensed something particularly invincible about him. "Just be careful with your ammo. Who knows when we'll come by any more." Ellis nodded, opening the door and shooting a nearby zombie straight in the face. "Nice shot, kid."

"I ain't no damn kid." Ellis' voice was quiet.

-

The sunlight burned high in the sky as they trudged on. Miraculously, the town seemed free of Special Infected. "Musta horded at the school." Ellis decided. "Fresh meat there." Nick wondered how Ellis spoke so casually about the deaths of teens that weren't much younger than him. They were much slower than the pace Nick was used to, with Ellis limping and having to stop every five minutes.

"You just want to see the others again." Nick reloaded his M16, looking around to make sure the area was clear. Too many times he hadn't and a Charger had rammed through the entire team... not that there was much of a team left to charge into. Any pair of Special Infected could easily wipe them out with good timing. They were nowhere to be seen, though, and the lack of Hunters and Spitters were starting to bother him. "Think they all went out to a tea party together?" He mumbled.

"This ain't Alice in Wonderland." Ellis replied, cracking a grin as he loaded his shotgun. "Though it would make sense. This world's pretty messed in the head."

Nick rolled his eyes as Ellis stood. "Whatever you say, Alice."

"Yup. Whatchu doin' here insteada bein' at yer own party, Mad Hatter?"

"I'd rather spend my very merry unbirthday _alive_."

Nick found himself smiling. Ellis laughed, adjusting the hat on his head. "Oh, man. I knew there was a reason I liked you."

Nick paused. Ellis turned to stare at him, still grinning, as if he hadn't said something that Nick didn't want to tread upon. "Hm." He said, eventually. Ellis looked back ahead.

"So... what're the chances of us seein' the others?"

"Ellis, just give it up. They probably died, and if they haven't died, then we're not seeing them again for a while."

Ellis held out his shotgun, aiming down a zombie. Nick shot it first. "So what're we gonna do?"

"Get a sports car and get the hell out of here."

Ellis looked around. Among all the houses, he couldn't see a car in sight. "Did the zombies eat 'em or something? No cars here at all."

Nick turned around and shot one coming from behind. "Notice the lack of infected, Ellis? They probably all took off."

"Without their kids?" Nick chose not to answer. "...So... Where're we gonna find a car?"

"Just look until you find one. I'm not heading back to that high school again just to find one."

Ellis nodded, strapping his gun to his back and pulling out his ax. "Did I ever tell you 'bout the time me'n Keith drove on the wrong side of the road? Keith just got back from France, 'n there, they drive on the other side of the road, so..."

Nick rolled his eyes as the boy spoke, deciding not to stop him mid-sentence and let him continue the story for once.

"...so I tried tellin' him he was doin' it wrong, but by then cars were already drivin' at us. Keith was dodgin' fer five minutes 'till a cop came to stop us... oh man were we in trouble."

-

As the sun set, hours later, the stories faded into silence. Nick's heels killed, but if Ellis could trudge on with that wound in his chest, he'd be damned if he was going to complain. "I think that's a car..." Ellis pointed ahead.

"That's the third time you've said that."

"Well I'm sick of walkin'! There hasn't been a safehouse since we left the school!"

Nick saw it; the speck of red that looked kind of like a car, maybe... "That better be a fuckin' car."

"It better have some gas in it, too!" Ellis clutched his chest. "I can't keep walkin, damn, I feel like I'm gonna die or somethin'."

The walk was painful, even with the complete lack of infected to worry about. Ellis' limping slowed to an almost complete stop, and the boy had tried to convince Nick that the area was clear enough that he could get the car and come back for him. Nick had rolled his eyes and given him a flat out no. "Ellis, I don't care if you stop moving completely, I'm not going to let you stand here and be zombie bait."

"Awww, but there's nuthin' _here_."

"Ellis."

It was a car, and Ellis screamed out his praises to the Lord as he reached it. A red Mustang GT. "Thank God! Oh..." He laughed, hugging the car as Nick focused on how he was going to get it open. Ellis, instead, reached for the door handle and pulled. Nick expected the alarm to go off. The door opened, thankfully. "The keys're in here." Nick took his place in the driver's seat. "Holy shit, man..."

"It feels like a trap."

"Who the fuck cares? We got our car!"

Nick smiled as he backed up. He missed stealing cars like this. Grand theft auto just wasn't the same with this zombie apocalypse. "So we're headed west... this car has a compass." On the rear view mirror, a small sticker with a letter reading 'S' for south. "At least we know where we're headed-"

A spray of gunshots sprayed the side of the car. "Floor it!"

"Who the fuck has a gun?!" As Nick turned, the shots aimed at the back of the car. "Out of the car, Ellis, now." Ellis opened the door, only to retract as the window's glass shattered. Nick's ears rung. "Ellis, get out of the car before it _blows_."

"Whoever's shootin' won't stop just 'cause I got out of the car, Nick. I ain't fast enough for that."

Nick sighed, opening the door. "Get out of the car, Ellis. Now." The shots stopped, for a bit. "Reloading." Ellis hurried out of the car, as did Nick. Both turned to stare at the one shooting at them.

"Holy shit."

Standing there, a few feet away, was a girl, not but the age of 13, with wide, tearing eyes, and a _machine gun_. "M-Mommy said to watch the car." She whispered. "Mommy said to watch the car..."

"How did we miss her before?" Nick breathed. There was no time to respond, because the girl pointed the gun again. Nick hopped over the hood, grabbed Ellis by the wrist, and pulled him to the front of the car, forcing him down. "She'll run out of ammo..."

"The car's actually gunna blow if she keeps that up, though. 'Splosions and all."

Nick cursed. "I hear you!" The girl shrieked. Laughter, followed by the sound of glass shattering, and footsteps. "Mommy said to watch the car! Nobody can have it!"

"Is she infected?" Ellis whispered, struggling to stand. His body rejected the action, but Nick helped him to his feet.

"I don't know, but we're going to have to run. The car's going to blow, and take her with it."

Ellis shook his head. "She's only-" Nick shut him up again. This kiss was much like the first they'd exchanged, used only to quiet him down. The boy flushed red anyway, careful not to lose his footing as they hurried away from the crazed teen. The seconds ticked by. It seemed the teen wasn't shooting any more, how odd...

The car exploded.

Ellis cursed as he was pushed forward, tumbling. Nick stumbled, falling only because his grip on Ellis was so tight. "I think I just lost all hearing in my left ear." Ellis mumbled.

"I told you it was a trap."

Ellis only laughed. "Yeah, you did."

Nick got to his feet, holding out his hand. Ellis didn't take it, however, and Nick realized he was still flushed. "Look, that kiss..."

"An accident, I know-"

"It was an impulse."

Ellis blinked, finally looking up, explosion and death gone from his mind. "An impulse? So... like... you did it not to shut me up?"

"I don't know why I did, really. I guess I was worried you were going to die..." Ellis kissed him then, and this time, Nick didn't pull away.

* * *

Whoo~ Longest one yet! I'm so happy, too. I had to include that Alice in Wonderland bit, because it's cute. Sue me. I'm going through epic Xbox-deprived depression, and I need some happy in my life. So I create this mush.  
Except for that little girl, who I most likely based off of Bioshock 2's Little Sisters. Seriously, they creep me out. And they're too nice. They should be mean, sometimes.  
So, umm... Teehee, I don't know what I'm going to do with the other five survivors. There is five, I have to edit the other chapter because I had this epic math fail where I said there was four... .__. That's what Trigonometry does... sigh. Anyway. So... I apologize for the epic cheeziness, but it could have been worse, trust me. I had put Rochelle in there to ramble about how Nick cared, but I took that out because then Nick would have had to shoot Rochelle, and as dramatic as that sounds, it wouldn't work out.  
xD  
I'm so mean to my lovely characters. But I digress.


	10. Of Crazy Witches and Feminine Shirts

_"I don't know why I did, really. I guess I was worried you were going to die..." Ellis kissed him then, and this time, Nick didn't pull away._

* * *

It was almost cliché, to share a kiss after an explosion, after all that had happened. It _was_ cliché to mention how fast it had all happened, but Nick wasn't one for cliché.

There really was no beginning, nor end to the relationship that was about to surface. It would last forever, because Nick was _sure_ they wouldn't make it to the end of the week with just the two of them. "Hey, all that stuff, everything?" He mumbled against Ellis' lips. "I-"

"Is now really the best time?"

"Touché."

"Please, please tell me this car won't asplode like the other one."

Nick brushed his hand against the window. "_Ex_plode, Ellis, _ex_plode." He corrected, other hand clenching the gun on his back. "It seems safe. You see any crazy, half-infected preteens?"

Ellis promptly did a sweep search. "Nope. No crazy bitches in sigh-"

Crying. Loud sobbing echoed throughout the area, making both tense. The land was flat, they could see for miles, but there was no Witch in sight. Nick suddenly reached for Ellis' hand. "Fuck. Back up, back up."

"Wha? Why?"

"The bitch is in the _car_." Nick took a few steps back.

The southerner peered inside, however, to be met with glistening green eyes. Nick pulled his shirt, pulling him back. Seconds later, a nail-polished hand burst through the window. Glass shattered. "What is it?!" Both men pulled their guns out, Ellis backing up as he shot, hoping they could kill the zombie before she clamored out of the car.

This Witch was different. "Ellis!" Nick looked over to the boy. "It's after you!"

"I know!"

The zombie poked it's discolored face out, green eyes on Ellis. Her skin was all different shades from pale to dark, mismatched and blotched. Her nails were painted with nail-polish, hair braided and each braid a different color. "Ellis..." It hissed. Ellis froze. "I know..."

Ellis stopped moving. He stared at the mismatched, discolored infected, Nick shot his last few bullets at the head before it fell, sighing in relief. "That was odd."

Ellis shook his head, eyes on Nick. "M-Much obliged. Iunno what I was thinkin', not shootin' it, but I just blanked." He rubbed his head. "It got into my head, I swear."

Nick headed back to the car, glass crunching under his feet as he unlocked it. "Whatever. Could have gotten you killed. What do I care."

So, Nick was frustrated with him. Ellis bit his lip, heading to the other side and sliding into the passenger's seat. "She said my name, Nick." He said, after a while. Nick carefully wiped the glass on the seat onto the ground, stepping in and turning the key in the ignition. "She said she knew something... what?"

"It was repeating what was last said. I said your name, and you said '''I know'''. It's simple, Ellis."

Ellis frowned. "But, what if it's _not_ that simple?" He questioned, looking at the back seat. There was a man, dead, eyes wide and mouth agape. "What if... what if it knew something?"

"It's a monster."

Ellis turned back to face Nick, surprisingly not disturbed. He couldn't even smell death, anymore. "It was different."

"It was an expressive monster."

"Nick, that thing could _talk_, and you _killed it_."

Nick rolled his eyes, stepping on the gas and heading the way they'd been heading for hours. The sun was setting. "Sometimes, things are better when they don't talk."

Ellis turned to stare, eyes wide. "Did you just _insunante_ something?"

"Insinuate. Yes."

Ellis clutched his gun to him, pursing his lips and trying to keep from talking. Just as always, it didn't work. "Why you gotta be so mean all the time?" He broke the quiet, turning around and walking backwards. "After what we just did, yer gunna..."

"Horde." Ellis turned, spotting the horde coming at them. Nick pressed harder on the gas, rolling down Ellis' window as the boy held up his gun, closing one of his eyes out of habit and fastening it outside the window. "Don't stop shooting. Who knows if one of those crazy-ass peacock Witches will show up again."

"Nick, the bright colored peacocks are the men. The women don't got much color."

Nick rolled his eyes. "Like I care, Ellis."

"I'm jus' sayin, she was more like a parrot."

"You're pissing me off."

Ellis shut up, pulling the trigger a few times. There wasn't even very many of them; it was taken care of in half of a minute. Nick didn't even get the pleasure of running any over. "Y'know, I think that the only part of this zombie apocalypse that I hate is that there's not gonna be cartoons on TV no more."

Nick smiled, offering a slight laugh. "That's... you're such a redneck." Ellis flushed. "We're fighting for our lives with little to no food, ammo, _anything_, and you're worried about Spongebob and Flapjack."

Ellis shrugged, reloading his gun. "It's odd that ya even know cartoon characters, Nick."

"My ex-wife wanted kids, once. She said we had to watch the shows to see if they were kid appropriate, or something pointless like that." He responded. "I was forced to watch them."

"Alright, Mr. High'n'Mighty. What do _you_ watch?"

"Something called the _news_."

"I ain't never watched the news. You ever seen Rochelle on it?"

Nick mentally face palmed. "That's a local news channel. I didn't live here." It grew quiet, then, Ellis' eyes closing and opening again. "Just a bit longer, Elle."

He hadn't expected the glare. "Whatchu call me?"

"Uhh... Elle?"

The boy deflated. "That's what I thought." Nick narrowed his eyes questioningly "Keith called me that all the time. _All_ the time. 'N so I figured I wouldn't mind if ya'll did, which as why I offered in the elevator, but..." Ellis clutched his chest, eyes widening. Something was missing. "Shit."

"What?"

"My shirt. It's not on me." Nick turned his head, staring at the coverall-clad male and realizing that was true. He frowned. "I left it back there... _shit_. Ya think the other's will find it? 'N they'll carry it just in case?"

Nick nodded, deciding not to mention the fact that they would most likely never see the others again. "We'll just have to stop by a clothing store and get you something." He decided.

"Aw, hell naw."

"Ellis, just put it on."

The boy scrunched up his face, shaking his head. "I ain't wearin' _that_. I'd rather get raped by a Smoker or somethin'."

Nick folded the Hannah Montana shirt and set it aside, stifling his laugh. "If it happens, I'm not going to help you."

"Niiick..."

The conman held up another shirt. "Here, how about this one?" Ellis took it, picked up his gun, and threw it, shooting at it before glaring at the man. "Okay. So... Demi Lovato's a no."

"Nick, didju just run in there and get clothes from the little girl's section?" Nick smirked. "Nick, _really_?"

"It was all I could find. Didn't want to trip an alarm or something."

Ellis groaned, turning around. "I ain't wearin' any of it."

"Ellis, if you keep that wound exposed, some smart Infected is going to see it, and go straight for that. It's not going to end well. Just put on one – preferably the one you _didn't_ shoot – and we can get going."

The younger groaned as he shrugged off the top part of his coveralls, slipping on the _Little Miss Chatterbox_ tee and glaring at it. "_Har har_. Very funny."

"It suits you." The both of them slipped past a sleeping Boomer. "Though, the frightening thought is that it fits."

Ellis growled, turning and shooting at the Infected. It exploded, and he nodded to himself. The explosion ticked off a Hunter, or it _must_ have, because with a loud scream, it pounced on Nick. "GET IT OFF ME!"

"If you had just bothered to get me somethin' that _does_ fit, then maybe I would be more inclined to save you."

Nick growled, arms moving to keep the Hunter at bay. Ellis kicked it off, pointing his gun and shooting it in the face, point blank. The conman swore under his breath as he stood."What a mouth on you. Don't make me shut you up again, _Miss_ Chatterbox."

"D'aww, I'm so scared."

Nick turned, grabbing him by the collar and kissing him hard on the mouth before hurrying to the car, shutting it, and starting to drive.

It took Ellis a minute to realize the man had left without him, and he laughed, at first. Nick would be back for him. And when he would, he'd pretend to be dead, just to piss him off, because he'd freak out. "If he likes me." He told himself, sitting down. "Which he does, 'course. Why else would he..."

He could hear that crazy laughter. The little Jockey was nowhere to be seen, though, and it made the hair on Ellis' neck stand. "Nick?" He whispered, as if the man would come back. Nothing.

Shit.

He stood, holding his gun carefully. "This ain't funny." He looked behind him as he walked, eyes darting around. If he died, that was it. It was over. He didn't want it to be over, not when he had so much ahead of him.

_Like what?_

He blinked, ignoring his own thoughts because the laughter was the only thing he could think of. Maybe he should hide out in a store? No, an alarm would sound. He was alone, in an open field. He should be able to see the Jockey coming, right? He broke into a run anyway. The moment he turned the corner, he ran into a car. The car they'd been riding. Nick was laughing at him, and he growled, opening the door. "Nawt. Funny. There's a freakin' Jockey out there."

"I wouldn't have let him get you, relax."

Ellis rubbed his arms to hide the goosebumps. "Don't... why'dju do that?"

Nick shrugged, pressing on the gas. "I like pushing your buttons." He said, at last. "You're so gullible."

"Asshole."

Nick laughed, turning his head to press another kiss to the boy. Ellis flushed red. "I'm not the asshole here."

Silence. Ellis blinked, then groaned, pushing the man away and pouting once the innuendo was understood. "Not cool! Not. Cool." Nick was laughing, to top it all off, only pausing to avoid a Boomer trying to get into the middle of the road. He swerved, causing Ellis to hit the window before falling onto Nick, despite the cup-holder in between them. "Aww, shoot, forgot my seatbelt."

"Great. Remember that, next time."

Ellis sat up, buckling himself in. "So... Nick. Where're we headed again?"

The man looked back for a split second, watching the Boomer follow and fail. He faced front again. "California."

"Ion't think I'll like it there."

"Deal with it, Ellis, because if California's not an evac center, then there's no way in Hell we're going to survive."

Ellis set his gun down on the floor. "There's always Canada. 'R Mexico."

"You just can't let me be pessimistic... can you?"

Ellis grinned. "Nope. Now drive the car _faster_."

Nick pressed harder on the gas, ignoring the _45_ plastered on a green sign, hitting to 85. Ellis squirmed, lips breaking into a grin. He loved fast cars.

"How's the gas?"

"Fine, Ellis."

"How full?"

"We're going to have to stop in about an hour, stop asking."

Ellis bit his lip. There was nothing around them but orange sand and the dark sky. "It's just... if we run into another Tank, I don't want it to run outta gas..."

They'd pissed off about 3 Tanks in their drive. When Ellis took the wheel, his reckless driving and tendency to purposely run infected over must have brought the things. "They're like sharks," Ellis had said, "they smell fear and blood and shit."

"Just calm down." Nick's fingers danced on the wheel. "The next gas station'll be here eventually. Get some rest."

Ellis' lips twitched. "I can't sleep. Ya'll know that..."

Nick took his hand. Ellis looked over, lips curled in a smile, even though Nick's eyes were on the road. "Just... try." After a pause, Nick grunted. "I want quiet for once."

Ellis leaned against the window, eyes closing, keeping his grip on the man's hand. "Ye sound like Keith..." He laughed.

Nick gripped the wheel with the hand he had on it, gritting his teeth. It was always about Keith, wasn't it?

The car light came on, indicating they were on their last gallon. Without a gas pump in sight, Nick was careful not to think about anything as he drove. It would be his last mile in a car.

Ellis' hand slacked, face relaxed. Finally, he was asleep. "Keith, huh." Nick mumbled, then. "I remind you of a retarded hick. Good to know."

* * *

So... Hehe... Finally, it's out. Sorry about it, though. Fluff is everywhere... cause I need happiness. I am so sad right now. I should be getting my privileges back, but I'm not. Even though there's no reason... meh. So anyway!

If you ever see the following name on XBOX; B4L Cutover DJ, then let him know that Pure BoNK owns him? xD Kay. That's all. It'd make my day.  
I LOVE Mutation, officially. It's made me so happy I could cry. I don't know what it is, but shootin' zombies always makes my day brighter...

This note is short. I love ya'll, but seriously. REVIEW. 'Fore I die in a hole or just quit writing this. 'Cause I'm so tired of having to sneak my laptop to write... Persevering is hard.


	11. Chopper on the Road

As the car slowed to a stop, Nick let his hand fall from the wheel, to his side. His movements were lethargic; eyes closing and opening in slow, rhythmic motions as he unbuckled his seatbelt. "Ellis." He said, slowly.

"Mnnnh." The boy responded, just as slowly, rubbing his eye with his free hand. "We there yet?"

"The car's out of gas, let's go."

Ellis unbuckled, rubbing his eyes. "So we're walkin'?"

Nick opened the door. "Unless you see some other car here, we are."

Ellis scrambled out, stretching his arms. Nick grabbed his gun, and Ellis took his. "Ya got the pills, right?"

"I got 'em."

"Good, good." Ellis shut the door, as did Nick. "I'mma miss this car... man, we gotta get somethin' ta eat." Nick didn't answer, so Ellis reached for his hand. Nick adjusted his gun and settled it on his shoulder, much like Coach used to. The silence was eating away at Ellis, however. Within a minute, he was speaking again. "Y'know, I been thinkin'. Unicorns? They gotta be some sorta reptile or some shit. They ain't horses. They gotta horn, an' my guess is it regrows, like a lizard's tail or somethin'. So they gotta be reptiles, thinkin' back on the evolutionary shit. Then they got wiped out with the dinosaurs..." Nick was staring at him, smirking. "What?"

"Like a hick like you even believes in evolution."

"Nawww, Nick! Seriously!" Ellis realized a bit late that he had left his ax in the car, but didn't mention it. He wouldn't need it. "Don'tchu think that they gotta be reptiles?"

"Unicorns don't exist."

Silence. "Nick, I ain't never gonna say this again, prob'ly, but yer stupid for sayin' that. I mean, _everybody_ knows that Unicorns exist, or existed, jus' like fairies and mermaids and all that."

Nick closed his eyes. "Unicorns don't exist. Fairies don't exist. Mermaids don't exist." He replied, not bothering to wait for an answer because he knew what it was. "Don't be a child, Ellis, I don't need to deal with it. I have a headache."

"Well, it's 'bout to get worse."

"Why...?" Nick opened one of his eyes, to see Ellis reaching for his jacket sleeve and tugging him to the side.

Almost immediately afterward, he heard it; the loud music, the gunshots, the groans of the horde. He recognized the music, _of course he did_, it saved his _life_. Ellis' eyes had lit up like he was about to meet his fuckin' idol – wait... he was. If it was who he thought it was, anyway.

"Holy shit, man! That bus... that's the _Midnight fuckin' Riders_!"

It slowed, and Ellis rose his gun to contribute to shooting the horde, hands on his gun. Once the zombies fell, he stood straight, watching the bus open and three of his favorite four band members emerge. His face flushed red. Nick rolled his eyes. "Well, _howdy_ there!" One boomed.

"Oh. My. God. Dusty... it _is_ the Midnight Riders, Nick!"

"See the look on my face, Ellis." Ellis turned. Nick's face was blank. "I don't care."

Ellis pushed him, facing the lead guitarist with wide eyes. The man laughed, crossing his arms. "Nice to know the infection hasn't taken our fans away."

Jake stepped out, next, looking down awkwardly. "We have to get going, man, before Smitty wakes up. He's got a wicked hangover."

"Smitty's in the car, too?! Jake?! Aww, damn, I think I could die happy now."

"We stand around, that'll happen."

Dusty took off his sunglasses. "Y'know, I don't _like_ you, Mr. Suit." He ushered Jake back in the car. "You make sure Smitty's got enough alcohol when he wakes up, and I'll settle what we'll do with these guys, kay? Say hello to the fan!"

Jake stepped into the bus, flashing a grin to Ellis. "What's your favorite song?"

"Sunup Shakedown, man, damn. One Bad Man is a close second, though."

Jake nodded. "We can keep 'im. That's a true fan, there."

Ellis was shaking. He was talking to the greatest artists in history. _History_. "...Hey... Where's Ox? He make it?" He asked.

"Nah. The Flu don't stop the Riders, man, but one of those monster steroid beasts took him out in one swipe."

Ellis shuddered. "Tanks."

"Now don'tchu be standin' there, fool, get inside!" Dusty put his sunglasses back on, grabbing the boy's arm and forcing him in. "Yer friend might as well not die out there, too... though I don't know if I can spare anything for someone who ain't a fan."

Ellis laughed. "He ain't gonna deny that you saved his life just last week. Down at Whispering Oaks, you were gonna have a show there – I'd had _tickets_ for that shit with my buddy Keith, we weren't gonna sneak in like any other time – an' we used your recordings to call a chopper to get us outta that place." Dusty blinked. "Then Nick here shot the pilot."

"He. Was. Infected. For the _last damn time_."

"Oh yeah, well he looked clean ta me!"

"You didn't see him lunge at your _face_? Geezus! He was going to kill you!"

Dusty laughed. "Ain't that sweet? Bickering like a married couple." Nick flushed, growling and grumbling to the floor. Ellis just laughed along. "I'm speechless... hey, I never got your name. Since you already know mine-"

"Ellis." The boy choked out, still grinning. "Name's Ellis."

"And don't call him Elle, or he'll flip."

Glare. "That's just... why you gotta bring that up?!"

"Well, judgin' by yer shirt..." Dusty chipped in, and then Ellis blushed.

"Nick over there got it for me. Mine was all bloody. It was _nasty_. One of them Hunters ripped me up, wanna see?" His eyes sparkled, and Dusty nodded enthusiastically. Nick rolled his eyes when the boy lifted his shirt to show the bandage. Typical rednecks. "It was _nasty_. Couldn't see straight or think straight an' my mind was foggy. Thought I was gonna die, for a second. But I've had worse."

"You've had worse?"

"This one time, a Boomer – you know what that is, right? 'Course you do – exploded right next to me, 'cause I shot it, and then I couldn't see and ran straight into a Smoker, who wrapped me up in his tongue and started clawin' at my back for what seemed like _hours_."

"You're welcome."

"You didn't do that!" Ellis cried in response. "Ro did! She found it, she shot it, and then you just watched her back as she took her med kit out and wrapped up my back. I couldn't breathe without coughin' for an hour." He was smiling as he said that. "Though, this one time, my buddy Keith got strep throat. He had a presentation that day, though, and his teacher refused to let him skip it 'cause he'd been absent too many days, so he had to come to school with it and talk in front of the class. Man, it was _funny_."

Jake snorted in laughter in the background. Dusty smirked. "Really, Ellis, now isn't the time to be reminiscing. This is a zombie apocalypse." Nick grumbled. Ellis rolled his eyes. "We should just get going to California."

"Cali? Ain't the next evac in Texas?"

"Every evac I've stopped at has been overrun or cleared out. I'm heading to California."

Ellis sighed. "I think I had enough of the military. Fuck the po-lice." Dusty nodded. "I mean, they ain't dun nuthin' for me yet."

"Except give us every safehouse in the country."

Ellis shrugged. "Touche, Nick. Touche."

"Ooh, big word there. Who taught you that one?"

Ellis flushed in embarrassment, eyes narrowing in a glare. "Hey hey, stop the fightin'." Jake held out his hand. "If Smitty wakes up 'cause of you, I'm throwin' yer rears outta this car. Ion't need to deal with ya'll bitchin' and moanin'."

Ellis smiled again. "I fuckin' love you guys." His eyes closed. "Oh, man, Coach would kill to be you, Nick. To be sittin' here with what's left of the Midnight Riders... oh, I can't wait to tell 'im what he missed. Shouldn'ta sent us out there alone."

"It's not like there's a big difference in numbers. I had five bucks in Zoey shot herself within the hour after she learned Bill died, followed by Louis shooting someone out of sheer insanity of all the chaos, leaving the others to shoot him. So, that leaves it with Francis, Rochelle, and Coach, and God knows if that Tank managed to get one of the others before it burned to death."

Silence, for a while. Ellis' eyes had opened to stare. "Naww, Nick, Zoey's a tough-ass chick. She ain't the type to do that. Louis was a cool dude, too. They ain't gonna die..."

Nick stood, lowering his head so not to bang it on the roof of the car. "Whatever, kid. I'm heading to bed. Too many rednecks in too little a space." He walked past Jake, onto the lounging couch that sat on the end. Carefully, he lowered himself on it, closing his eyes.

Ellis blinked. "A'ight..."

Jake soon retired, as well, but Ellis spent the night talking to Dusty.

The morning rolled in smoothly. Ellis woke first, rubbing his eyes. The car was moving, he noticed. "Wh-What's goin' on?"

"Gotta get ourselves to fuckin' Cali, is what's goin' on." A gruff voice replied, instantly recognized as Smitty. "I got a hangover that could kill, so keep yer trap shut like yer friend there and we ain't gonna have a problem.

Ellis looked to the back of the bus, where Nick sat, eyes closed, seemingly calm. When Ellis crawled to the seat next to him, however, he pushed Ellis to the side. "Now's not the place." He said, finally.

"Fer what?" Ellis replied, crawling closer only to get pushed away again. He groaned in annoyance, sitting farther away from the man. "My buddy Keith used to do that when he was punishin' me fer somethin'. I never knew what it was, but he got mad, and wouldn't let me get near him."

"Don't associate me with your hick friend, or ex-boyfriend, or _whatever_ he is." Ellis visibly tensed. As Nick opened his eyes, he could see one of those stupid band members staring at them. Jake, or whatever. "What are you looking at? You weren't included in this conversation."

Jake rolled his eyes and turned away, turning his attention to the front of the bus to sit in the seat next to Smitty. Ellis finally spoke, voice wavering. "He ain't never been my boyfriend, Nick. Why'du have to say that in front of them?"

"Oh come on, Ellis. You're so obviously queer that I don't think it really matters." Ellis pushed himself away this time. Nick blinked. "Why is Keith such a touchy subject with you? Build a bridge and get over it."

"It's just... you wouldn't know." He sat up, looking behind and watching the road pass by. "He'd been my best friend fer years, _23 years_, and then _I_ was given the task of shootin' him in the face." How was it that Ellis could say _that_ without his voice wavering, his eyes watering? "Not Dave, not Jeremiah... I had ta do it. Not pretty, I promise ya. But after that, shootin' anything just isn't tear-jerkin' like that."

"Why do you continuously think you'll see Keith again?"

A pause. "Well, I mean, I didn't exactly shoot him like I promised I would. He didn't look sick 'r anything. He'd just been coughin' a lot and Dave freaked. So I just dragged him to a chopper. Unfortunately, there was no room, so..." He shrugged. "Dave wanted to get on, so I shot 'im. Jeremiah ran off after that, scared or somethin'. Keith got on the chopper, though." Nick's eyes were wide. "What? Dave coulda been infected, that's what I told the people in the chopper. He was runnin' like one. The next evac was the one I met ya'll, and the chopper was gone by then..."

"You shot someone you knew for no reason?"

"He wanted Keith's spot! Keith's more important."

Nick's hands shook. Fear. Wow, he hadn't felt that in ages. "You're crazy. _Crazy_."

"But you love me just the same, hmm?"

Nick frowned, mouth opening to tell him _no_, that he was just _bat shit insane_ and he'd never associate himself with someone like that. "I suppose..." The words shocked him, though not Ellis. Ellis just smiled that innocent hick smile and looked to the back window again.

Nick rubbed his temples. He had a lot ahead of him.

* * *

Yayyy~ So umm... I can explain this chapter. 'Cause... Ellis is crazy, we all know that. We do, right? It isn't just me? I base Ellis a bit more off me than I should, I suppose.  
I am in love with the Midnight Riders.  
That just about sums it up.  
If you don't know them by name, then go to their website. It's even my homepage. Squee! xD  
I actually think I might end it here, or like, next chapter just have them skip to Cali and have it end there. 'Cause I really ain't no good at romance.  
Ughhhh, writing in accent is rubbing off on meeee... I have to get it right, though, for any con I'm going to. I'm saving up for a full blown Ellis costume... It costs... a lot of money. Dear god.  
Bleed Out made me cry, readers, it did. I continuously got the teams that wouldn't stick together, and because I'm so used to versus, I ran ahead and beat the zombies up. But, of course, then I stop and wait because they're a mile behind me and a smoker pulls me or a hunter grabs me and I die. I'm so used to the "run run run" command when playing versus that I don't even play campaign anymore. Dx Not online, anyway. The bots are faster than you'd think. And they're epic good at saving you when no one else would.  
So, if deathracing, I recommend a team of 2 people, 2 bots. Preferably at least Coach bot or Nick bot, 'cause Rochelle bot and Ellis bot have some major issues.


	12. The Red One

_Nick's hands shook. Fear. Wow, he hadn't felt that in ages. "You're crazy. Crazy."_

_"But you like me just the same, hmm?"_

_Nick frowned, mouth opening to tell him no, that he was just bat shit insane and he'd never associate himself with someone like that. "I suppose..." The words shocked him, though not Ellis. Ellis just smiled that innocent hick smile and looked to the back window again._

_Nick rubbed his temples. He had a lot ahead of him._

_

* * *

_BACK TO THE REST OF THE TEAM

"Look, Francis. All you have to do, is _climb_."

"I hate climbs."

Zoey rolled her eyes as the man clambored over the pile of cars, giving one last look to the charred form that was once a Tank. "We don't got all day, Francis." Coach announced. Francis jumped over, landing on his feet and giving a sigh of accomplishment. Louis walked ahead with Rochelle. "My little girl's growin' up." Coach teased, once, but Rochelle's flushed glare was all he needed to shut his trap.

The corrosive green goo was on their feet, and they all jumped back, searching for a Spitter that wasn't there. "This is fucked." Louis mumbled. "Where is she?"

When the spit faded, they ran forward. "Search the houses!" Zoey called, heading into one of them. Louis followed, then Coach, Rochelle, and Francis. They weaved through the houses, empty, whispering amongst themselves. "That one has melted ice cream..." She mumbled.

"Don't touch it, the person who ate it was probably infected."

Zoey whimpered. Rochelle pat her back. "I know, girl, I know."

Francis paused to stare at the open newspaper, and then at a very familiar shirt, bloodstained. He held it up, wrinkling his nose; Boomer bile. "Guys." The four others turned their attention to him. "This is... Ellis' shirt."

"Ellis..." Rochelle whispered.

"Now now..." Coach walked closer, inspecting it with a grim look. "We don't got proof that means nothin'. I don't see his body, or any other clothes of his, or anything that belongs to Nick..."

Rochelle sniffled. "Bet you Nick shot him." Francis grumbled.

"Don't jump to conclusions!" Zoey snapped in return. "Nick may be a jerk on many different levels, but he'd never shoot Ellis. None of us would. Not even if he was infected."

Francis rolled his eyes. He didn't want to get _into_ how much of a jerk Nick was; he'd probably shoot Ellis if he found another survivor, if he didn't need the boy to keep him alive. "Sure. So now we have a shirtless Ellis." Rochelle giggled. Francis rolled his eyes again. "Does the sink work?"

Louis turned it on. "Of course n-" Silence. "Yeah." So Francis threw it at him. "What?"

"Wash it. The boy's gonna want it when we see him again."

Louis sighed, doing as he was told. His hands needed washing, anyway.

* * *

The sun fell, and then rose hours later, but they didn't stop walking, eyes on the road. Once, Louis had stepped on what must have been the remains of the little girl, under a pile of car parts. "This has Nick's name all over it." Coach laughed.

"Don't say his name, I was just starting to forget his existence." Francis responded.

* * *

The zombies picked up again once they left town. The cars were few and far-between, either empty on gas or wrecked beyond repair. Francis kept Ellis' shirt tied on his arm for safe keeping, however.

* * *

It was smooth sailing all the way to California. With the five of them, they cruised through. Ox had packed the van with hundreds of dollars worth of gas, "a pyro's dream." Dusty had laughed.

Nick, however, hadn't spoken a word since his confession, cautious when he stepped out of the van. Smitty stayed with the van whenever food was running low, so Ellis teamed with Jake most of the time, unable to take Nick's silence.

This made Nick, without a doubt, jealous. He sighed, following Dusty to the left. "Ey, Nick," the bulky man said, once. Nick looked over. "If ye want, I could team with Jake..." His eyes sparkled with knowledge. He'd figured it out. "I ain't judgin' ya or anythin', but you're different when Ellis ain't close by. I see it in your eyes." The conman just stared at the road. "Fine, you deal with it yourself, then."

When they returned, Ellis was tending to a gash in Jake's leg. "'Ts my fault." He insisted. "'M sorry..."

And they were too close. Never mind that Ellis was actually at a safe distance, considering he was wrapping up a wound, Nick didn't like it. "Ellis." His voice cracked from underuse. Ellis looked up. "Come here."

"In a sec, Nick, I gotta-"

"Now." Ellis stopped, eyes narrowing. "Come on, I don't have all day."

He got up. "Apologies, Jake, but Nick ain't like this, so... I gotta see what's up." He talked as if Nick wasn't three feet away. Impatiently, he tapped his foot.

Dusty grumbled as he took Ellis' pack to finish the job as the boy shuffled over. "Ellis..." There was nowhere for them to hide, to confess, to talk. Going outside was a ridiculous idea, with Smitty not liking him and the possibility of Infected. Nick didn't much care what anyone thought of him, anyway. "How much do you like me?"

Ellis flushed red, almost as if on cue, eyes wide. "Now really ain't the time..."

"Ellis."

"Alright, alright." Ellis scratched the back of his neck, though didn't look away. "I'm glad I been teamed up with ya... I don't want ya ta leave, but we all know you ain't stickin' around, so I gotta be strong, even though the thought of ye leavin' makes me wanna cry."

Nick smirked. Okay. "I'm not going to leave." Ellis' eyes lit up. "That wasn't the _question_, though. How much _do you goddamn like me_?" Ellis looked behind him, then. Dusty and Jake stared at him. He looked back to the conman, hands gripping Nick's shoulder as he pressed a kiss to his lips.

Jake coughed awkwardly. It didn't much matter. "Leave 'em be." Dusty mumbled, drawing back his hands. "Yer all wrapped up. Let's sit in front with Smitty and... ahh... blast music." Ellis flashed a thumbs up. Dusty laughed, heading to the front with a red-faced Jake. Not a minute later, Save Me Some Sugar played.

"Man, I love this song." Ellis spoke, despite the lips on his, trying desperately to pry them open. "Me'n Keith would sing this when we were bored with fixin' the cars..."

Nick rolled his eyes. "Ellis, shut up."

"Mmkay."

* * *

It didn't take long to reach California. The zombie population dwindled as they drove. Nick mused that the military had a little too much fun. Ellis saw this as a sign of competence. There was a huge barrier blocking their entrance. Again, Ellis felt this was a good idea; Nick did not. Smitty honked the horn, fingers tapping on the wheel until, finally, a man came out, dressed in a hazmat suit and holding a clipboard. "Are any of you infected?" Smitty stared at the man. "Have you been bitten?"

Nick opened his mouth to say _no_; saying yes would get them shot. Ellis spoke first. "Well hell yeah. I been bit, scratched, choked... but we ain't sick." Ellis poked his head out the window.

"So you've encountered the infected?" The hazmated suit man fingered something in his suit pocket.

"Plenty'a times."

"Hold out your hands, please." Smitty unbuckled, shifting so Ellis could rest on the driver's seat and hold out his hands. Nick expected hand cuffs. "This is your identification, so you don't accidentally infect those who haven't encountered the infection yet. It labels you a carrier. Respect the boundaries." A yellow bracelet was slipped onto Ellis' wrist. "Out of the vehicle, please." Ellis did so, followed by Smitty. Dusty and Jake left the other side. Nick hesitated. "Sir? Out of the van."

"Alright, but I've never been bit." Nick only knew how to survive. It was in his blood. "I have the airborne virus, though, of course, everyone does."

"Nick-"

He ignored Ellis, continuing the lie. "I just met these guys the other day. I lived in Washington." Ellis stared with wide, hurt eyes as a blue bracelet was handed to him. Smitty piped up a similar lie, being handed a blue band as well. Dusty and Jake scraped by in mentioning they were never bit, though they did shoot zombies. They were handed a red bracelet.

"Why is mine diff'rent?" Ellis asked.

"No reason." Hazmat guy responded, clutching the clipboard before relaxing his grip on it.

"No, there's gotta be a reason."

The man turned, exposing the board to Nick's eyes. "There's _no. Reason_." Nick examined the board carefully.

RED: Possible infection. Study carefully.

BLUE: Airborne infection. Not infected.

GREEN: Never encountered infected.

YELLOW: Send to lab for testing, shoot on sight if seen roaming around. Probably infected.

Nick swore under his breath. _Ellis_. He eyed his blue band, then Smitty's. Smitty glared at him, mouthing, "no," as if he knew what the conman was thinking.

He probably did.

Nick turned to observe Jake and Dusty, then. Two red bands. It would be easy to slip off one of the red bands and replace it with Ellis' yellow, he did shit like that when he was twelve. "Dusty..." He whispered. The man looked over. "Switch." The man rose an eyebrow as Nick took off the blue bracelet, passing it to him. "I'd rather have a red band." His eyes were on Jake's band, however, carefully sliding it off with calm fingers.

"This 'bout Ellis?" He hummed. Nick carefully removed it, sliding it onto his wrist. Dusty handed him his red band, and he held it in his palm. "Never did like 'im much." He nodded to Jake. Nick smirked. "Go, I'll keep 'em distracted." Dusty tapped the hazmat suited man's shoulder. "What kinda barriers are you talkin' about?"

Nick walked to Ellis. "Hey, you alright?"

"Naw, I'm scared as shit, but I'mma be fine." Ellis laughed. "I just got a bad feelin', is all. The same one I got 'fore this infection happened. It's probably nothin', though. I'm just hungry or something." Nick hummed, carefully sliding the band off and replacing it with the red one in his hands. Ellis didn't notice. It wasn't hard to take things off, but putting things back on was a _pain_. Ellis was just oblivious.

Jake would be a task.

However, it proved not to be one. Fastening the yellow band on him was easy, as well as shifting Ellis over to their side. Dusty and Smitty were whispering amongst themselves, and Jake was talking to the guy in the suit, now. Ellis nervously reached for Nick's hands. His hand was shaking. "Did you see the clipboard?" Nick mumbled. Ellis didn't respond. "You saw it, didn't you?"

"Yeah..."

Nick nodded. "Look at your wrist."

Ellis did. "What's it gonna do- wh... what? It's... red. Yours is red. What happened?"

"Alright, move out!" Ellis gripped Nick's hand tightly as they walked forward. He was shaking, but Nick led him forward.

Ellis saw it. His band. "Jake." He whispered. "Oh my gawd, Nick, what did you-"

Nick growled, turning the boy's chin. "Stop talking, Ellis." Ellis flushed. "We're going to make it out of this alive, alright? I'm not letting you die."

"Nick..." His eyes lowered. "Thank you, man. Thank you."

* * *

"What? I wasn't yellow, I was red!" Jake hissed. Nobody listened. "Someone did this!" He glared at Ellis. "You did this!"

"I ain't dun nuthin'..."

Two men took Jake by the arms, pulling him away. Ellis bit his bottom lip. His grip on Nick's hand tightened, looking away as the man cursed and screamed. "Alright, reds to the left, blues to the right."

Ellis faced Dusty and Smitty. "Man, I'mma miss y'all somethin' fierce."

"Trust me, I grown attatched to ya, kid." Ellis laughed. "Stay a fan, now." Dusty smiled, and then Ellis was hugging him. "Ellis, this is kinda... queer."

"Shuddap, man. Yer a Midnight Rider." He pulled away, turning to Smitty, who rolled his eyes and held out his hands for a hug. Ellis lit up. "Smitty, man, thank you _so much_ for everything... 'M sorry for yer loss."

"Jake? He ain't no loss of mine. We don't like him much."

Ellis laughed. "I'mma miss you, man." He sniffed, rubbing his eyes. Smitty rose an eyebrow. "I ain't... I ain't cryin', okay? Yer last impression of me, I'm laughin'."

Nick pulled him away then, not bothering to say goodbye because he just didn't _care_. His priority was to get Ellis out of there before he bawled about how he should be wearing a yellow bracelet. If that boy got killed after _everything_ he did, after what he gave up...

Ellis held tight to him, even when people started to stare. "Nick, I don't much like it here."

Nick shrugged. "Deal with it, we're not in another evacuated zone. We're safe."

It took another five minutes of dead silence for the words to sink in, to both of them, really. "Safe." Ellis laughed, tears filling his eyes as he leaned against the other man for support. "God damn, Nick, we're safe."

Nick pressed a kiss to his temple, hiding the smile. "It's over. We win."

"I fuckin' love you, man."

Nick pulled them to the right, where there were no people to overhear him. Ellis adjusted that hat on his head. "I love you, too, hick."

And seeing Ellis' face light up, watching the tears leave his eyes and a happy grin stretch across his lips, Nick figured it was just the right thing to say.

* * *

Wow. Ummm. I think this is the first story I've ever legitimately completed. That's because I always get ahead of myself and don't take into account that if I write the same story for a long period of time, then it becomes a different story. I was ACTUALLY going to continue THIS, but I was like, "12 Chapters? Legit? That's enough." xD Since I'm so lazy like that. Ugh. I'm changing things all along it, due to epic grammar fails, and part of the first chapter makes me feel like a n00blet. So... yeah. It was nice writing for y'all.

I still wanna know what happened to my lovely Coach, Francis, Louis, Rochelle, and Zoey. Still dunno. It's up to you whether they died or not, or if Francis did manage to get Ellis' shirt back to him... since I'm too lazy to write an epilogue. So, here it is~

So, my adoring readers, I grant you an ending that doesn't have angst, since I was planning on killing off Ellis, then Nick, and then I decided that if I did that, I'd feel guilty. So I killed off Jakey, instead. xD Nobody likes him, but he's my favorite... I'm so cruel to the characters I love.

THIS IS GETTING OFF SUBJECT.

I love you guys, really, all of you who stuck through this and decided to read it, subscribe, review... I'm getting all teary. xD Wow, am I pathetic or what? I love you guys.

-- Pure BoNK

P.S. Ellis' favorite Pokemon? Ponyta, the flaming horse. Nick's? Delcatty. Swear. Anyway. Goodbye, for real.


End file.
